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A man wearing a mask walks Tuesday through the makeshift memory of the paste in front of the headquarters of the ABS-CBN broadcast chain in Quezon City. (AP)
MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte could still reverse the closing order of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) against ABS-CBN as the commission is under his office
Former Senator and now Sorsogon Governor Francis “Chiz” Escudero gave his opinion on Wednesday when the giant television network went off the air Tuesday night in compliance with the NTC order.
The NTC ordered the closure of ABS-CBN despite Congress’ request to grant it provisional authority to operate as the company’s franchise expired on May 4.
“PRRD (Duterte’s initials) can reverse the order of the NTC, be under the OP,” Escudero, who is also a lawyer, said in a Twitter post.
“This is not the time to deprive people (with) information about: the pandemic and after its humble realization about: Ayala and Pangilinan. The government needs all the help it can get to fight COVID-19, ”he said.
Duterte previously apologized to businessmen Manny Pangilinan and the Ayala clan for his “hurtful words” against them.
But while the president could reverse the NTC’s decision, Escudero said Congress has yet to act on the ABS-CBN franchise application, which is still pending in the House of Representatives.
“The House of Representatives and, later, the Senate can and should act, in one way or another, in the implementation of the ABS-CBN franchise,” he said.
“They (especially the House of Representatives) cannot and should not simply pay for a comment and then sit on it while supposedly waiting for the signs from Malacanang,” the governor emphasized.
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