ARTA recalls order on automatic approval of 2 NTC applications

Anti-Red Tape Authority ARTA

MANILA, Philippines — The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) has set aside its order of automatic approval on the application for the provisional authority of Now Telecom Company Inc. and News and Entertainment Network Corporation.

In a resolution dated June 17, ARTA said its earlier order would be “set aside” to follow the ruling laid down by the Office of the Secretary of Justice.

In February 2020, ARTA issued an automatic approval on the application for the provisional authority of News and Entertainment Network Corporation, which was pending before the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).

ARTA issued a similar order for Now Telecom Company in March 2021.

The February 2020 order prompted the NTC to file a motion to request a legal opinion and file a petition of arbitration before the Office of the Secretary of Justice to interpret and settle ARTA’s jurisdiction issues over the commission.

Likewise, the NTC filed a motion to vacate and set aside ARTA’s resolution and order of automatic approval.

In July 2021, the Secretary of Justice issued a resolution stating that the “Declaration of Completeness and Order of Automatic Approval issued by Respondent ARTA is hereby set aside.”

ARTA appealed the resolution before the Office of the President, which dismissed it. ARTA then filed a motion for reconsideration, which was also junked by the Office of the President, saying that the Secretary of Justice’s resolution “has already become final and executory.”

In its June 17 resolution, ARTA said that following the ruling by the Secretary of Justice, the order of automatic approval for Now Telecom Company and News and Entertainment Network Corporation for the assignment of frequencies are both set-aside and endorsed to the NTC for “prompt disposition.”

/MUF/abc