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Speaker Alan Cayetano has called out the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and the Office of the Solicitor General for usurping the congressional authority to grant franchise in connection with the NTC’s order to shut down ABS-CBN.
Cayetano was referring to the cease and desist order issued by the NTC to ABS-CBN last May 5, a move contrary to the commitment made by NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba to Congress in March where he said the NTC will allow ABS-CBN to remain on air pending congressional action on its franchise application on the basis of equity by issuing them provisional authority.
ABS-CBN’s franchise lapsed on May 4.
“Last Tuesday we were all ambushed by the NTC. Despite their assurance given under oath, the legal opinion of the Department of Justice, a resolution from the Senate, and several verbal and written assurances given to Congress…the NTC appears to have succumbed to pressure from the Solicitor General, and issued a cease and desist order to ABS-CBN,” Cayetano said in a statement.
