MANILA, Philippines — Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar on Thursday condemned the “unjust and unfair” reporting of some international media organizations which linked President Duterte in the shutdown of television giant ABS-CBN.
ABS-CBN, the country’s largest television network, went off the air on Tuesday evening in compliance with the cease-and-desist order of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) pending congressional approval of its franchise renewal.
The network has been at the receiving end of Duterte’s scathing remarks as he accused the media company of swindling him for not airing a paid 2016 presidential campaign advertisement. He has also repeatedly threatened to block ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal, which has been pending in Congress since 2014.
Many media groups worldwide reported on the ABS-CBN shutdown and highlighted that Duterte was unhappy with the network.
But Andanar said the reports are “bereft of truth” and are mere “rehash of an old malicious imputation to bedevil” the Duterte administration, adding that ABS-CBN’s shutdown was brought about by the expiration of its 25-year legislative franchise on May 4.
He argued that it is Congress’ mandate to issue and renew legislative franchises and that the NTC may disallow the operation of any broadcast network with an expired franchise.
“It is, therefore, totally unfair and objectionable for some parties and some international media to insist that what happened to the network is due to ‘having incurred the ire’ of the President. This assertion is remarkably erroneous, lacks objectivity, and scant on a factual basis. Simply, a false narrative,” he said.
The Palace official went on to claim that the shutting down of ABS-CBN is “not an issue of press freedom but an issue regarding legislative franchise.”
“Democracy, and the free press and free speech that come with it, is very much alive in the country and effectively protected.”
“With the bill on ABS-CBN Corporation’s legislative franchise still pending in Congress at present, we would like to express our gratitude for the company’s service to the Filipino nation, especially at this time of the COVID-19 pandemic. The hard work and passion of everyone from the said media organization is truly commendable,” Andanar said.
Congress had failed to act on several bills seeking to renew the franchise of ABS-CBN, which was granted by Republic Act No. 7966 in March 1995. But Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra previously said the media giant may continue to operate pending deliberations on its franchise renewal.
In February, the House committee on legislative franchises urged the NTC to grant ABS-CBN provisional authority for it to continue operations pending its franchise renewal.