MANILA, Philippines 鈥擧ouse Deputy Minority Leader Carlos Zarate denounced on Sunday Solicitor General Jose Calida鈥檚 warning to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) against issuing a provisional authority to the country鈥檚 biggest media network.
Calida earlier warned NTC commissioners that they could face charges under the country鈥檚 anti-graft and corruption laws should they grant ABS-CBN provisional authority in the absence of a franchise.
The government鈥檚 chief lawyer said the NTC could not rely on the letter of the House leadership and the Senate resolution 鈥� both urging the commission to grant a provisional authority to ABS-CBN while its franchise approval remained pending in Congress.
But Zarate, a Bayan Muna party-list representative, 鈥渟trongly鈥� urged the NTC to grant the provisional authority to ABS-CBN immediately, saying it has 鈥渁ll the legal and historical grounds to do so.鈥�
鈥淪olGen Calida鈥檚 statement only shows his severe aversion for press freedom as he even timed such a threat on World Press Freedom Day,鈥� Zarate said in a statement.
He said NTC would lose its autonomy should it heed Calida鈥檚 warning.
鈥淭he NTC being the principal and client is not absolutely bound by the SolGen鈥檚 legal opinion, much more of threats. Kowtowing to Calida鈥檚 threats means a goodbye NTC鈥檚 autonomy, a goodbye to press freedom,鈥� the lawmaker said.
鈥淭hen, only the ones who do not question the anti-democratic and anti-people policies of the administration will remain, just like the time of the dictator Marcos,鈥� he added.
Zarate further said Calida failed to consider that ABS-CBN 鈥渋s very important in the information dissemination and relief operations鈥� as the country grapples with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
鈥淓ven in the midst of crisis, it appears, continued political vendetta against the network is still primordial to the OSG,鈥� he said.
鈥淲e again strongly urge the NTC to rise to the challenge and issue the provisional permit to ABS-CBN now even as the House is deliberating the renewal of its franchise,鈥� he added.
On Feb. 11, Calida sought the revocation of ABS-CBN鈥檚 franchise over alleged violations through a quo warranto petition filed before the Supreme Court
Calida, in his petition, claimed that ABS-CBN violated the Constitution when it issued Philippine Depositary Receipts (PDRs) through ABS-CBN Holdings Corp. to foreigners.
He also accused the network of 鈥渂roadcasting for a fee鈥� when it operated a pay-per-view channel 鈥� KBO Channel 鈥� in its ABS-CBN TV Plus cable product without approval or permit from the NTC.
ABS-CBN has since maintained that it did not violate any law governing its franchise and that it had secured all necessary approvals for its business operations.
/补迟尘鈥�