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NTC abused its power in ABS-CBN shutdown: analyst

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ABS-CBN News

<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4FotSZOSEHw?enablejsapi=1"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>MANILA - The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) abused its power when it ordered the closure of ABS-CBN Corp., the country&#x27;s largest broadcast company, a lawyer said Wednesday.The network&#x27;s shutdown was the immediate responsibility of the NTC, while Congress was directly liable for sitting on ABS-CBN&#x27;s application for franchise renewal, according to Tony La Viña, former dean of the Manila-based Ateneo School of Government.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/05/20/ntc-orders-abs-cbn-to-stop-broadcasting">NTC orders ABS-CBN to stop broadcasting</a></li></ul>President Rodrigo Duterte, however, has the overall responsibility for the company&#x27;s closure, La Viña said.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/06/20/abs-cbn-closure-not-a-repeat-of-1972-shutdown-panelo">ABS-CBN closure not a repeat of 1972 shutdown: Panelo</a></li></ul>&quot;Congress cannot instruct NTC, only the President. That’s why the President is also to be blamed here for the previous actions and also for allowing this to happen,&quot; he told ANC.&quot;The President, with one call, can make and change that decision, can influence that decision...If the President wanted this franchise to be renewed, if he has truly forgiven ABS-CBN for what fault it has done to him he would have told the House go on.&quot;The NTC on Tuesday reneged on its commitment to grant a provisional permit to ABS-CBN for its continued operations and instead issued a cease and desist order, forcing the company with 11,000 workers to go off the air.The agency made the move despite both houses of Congress expressing the intent to allow the network to operate while it deliberates measures seeking for a fresh 25-year franchise.&quot;The legal issues are not with respect to the renewal of the franchise and are not within the competence of NTC to immediately decide,&quot; La Viña said.&quot;If they feel the legal issues are relevant then they should’ve asked, not issued a cease and desist, ABS-CBN to answer the legal issues relevant to them.&quot;La Viña advised ABS-CBN against filing cases in courts as this would take years and divert attention from the issue, and instead push its case in Congress.&quot;Kailangan gumalaw ang Kongreso. Walang excuse. (May) pandemic tayo. Maraming nawalan na ng trabaho, mawawala pa ng trabaho itong 11,000 workers ng ABS-CBN, mawawalan pa tayo ng source of info. Congress has to act,&quot; La Viña said.&quot;The Filipino must now lobby. If the pandemic wasn’t around there might be tens of thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands in the streets, not just political people. It’s important to the ordinary people. Galit na galit ang mga tao. Ang galit nila una sa NTC pero ngayon lilipat siya sa Kongreso.&quot;Duterte will not intervene on Congress&#x27; actions, his spokesman Harry Roque said.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/06/20/duterte-asks-congress-why-not-just-pass-abs-cbn-franchise-spokesperson">Duterte asks Congress: Why not just pass ABS-CBN franchise?</a></li></ul>&quot;Huwag po kayong mag-alala mga congressmen. Hindi po magagalit, hindi matutuwa ang Presidente kung kayo po&#x27;y ipasa ang ABS-CBN. Completely neutral po ang Presidente d&#x27;yan,&quot; he said.La Viña, meantime, said the Solicitor General&#x27;s petition seeking to invalidate ABS-CBN&#x27;s franchise was now &quot;moot and academic.&quot;&quot;The quo warranto petition is dead in the water because the franchise has already been expired,&quot; he said.The Solicitor General on World Press Freedom Day had advised NTC against issuing ABS-CBN provisional authority to operate.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/03/20/calida-warns-ntc-against-issuing-provisional-authority-to-abs-cbn-affiliates">Calida warns NTC against issuing provisional authority to ABS-CBN, affiliates</a></li></ul>

The National Telecommunications Commission abused its power when it ordered the closure af ABS-CBN Corp., the country's largest broadcast company, a lawyer said Wednesday.

The National Telecommunications Commission abused its power when it ordered the closure af ABS-CBN Corp., the country's largest broadcast company, a lawyer said Wednesday.