SC dismisses ABS-CBN case vs NTC’s cease and desist order

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court has dismissed the petition filed by media giant ABS-CBN challenging the cease and desist order issued by the National Telecommunications Commission.

High Court’s Public Information Chief and Spokesperson Atty. Brian Keith Hosaka announced that the petition was dismissed on the ground of mootness.

“According to the Court, in light of the supervening denial of the pending House Bills for the renewal of ABS-CBN Corporation’s legislative franchise on July 10, 2020, the Court finds it appropriate to dismiss the case on the ground of mootness,” Hosaka said in a statement.

He added that “because of this supervening event, there is no actual substantial relief which ABS-CBN Corporation would be entitled to regardless of the Court’s disposition of the merits of the Petition.”

The justices, he said were unanimous in their decision to dismiss the petition except for Associate Justice Priscilla Baltazar-Padilla who was on leave.

The petition was filed by ABS-CBN two days after the NTC issued cease and desist order (CDO) due to the lapse of its franchise.

In its 46-page petition for certiorari and prohibition, the country’s largest broadcast network asked the high court to set aside the NTC’s order and issue a permanent injunction against its implementation, saying that the regulatory body committed grave abuse of discretion when it issued the controversial order to stop broadcasting after its franchise expired.

EDV