Binuweltahan ngayon ni Solicitor General Jose Calida ang mga bumabatikos sa National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) dahil sa cease and desist order na inilabas nito laban sa TV network na ABS-CBN.
Aniya, bakit daw sisisihin ang NTC gayong ang Kongreso ang may kapangyarihan upang i-renew ang prangkisa ng giant TV network.
Dagdag niya, ang bill para sa renewal ng prangkisa ng ABS-CBN ay nakabinbin sa Kamara noon pang 2016.
“Why blame NTC when they are only following the law. The bill renewing ABS-CBN’s franchise has been pending in Congress since 2016,” the solicitor general added. “The question we should be asking is, why hasn’t Congress acted on it? Who is at fault here?,” ani Calida.
Tinawag naman ni Calida na “triumph of the rule of law” ang ginawang hakbang ng NTC na mag-isyu ng order para ipasara ang ABS-CBN.
“The Constitution requires a prior franchise from Congress before a broadcasting entity can operate in this country. Absent a renewal, the franchise expires by operation of law. The franchise ceases to exist and the entity can no longer continue its operations as a public utility,” dagdag ni Calida.
Maalalang noong Lunes, Mayo 4 nang magpaso na ang 25-year legislative franchise ng ABS-CBN.
Bago ang expiration, nagbanta si Calida sa mga commissioners ng NTC na puwede silang maharap sa kasong graft kapag binigyan nila ang ABS-CBN ng provisional authority to operate pagkatapos ng May 4.
