Malacañang expressed sadness over media giant ABS-CBN’s shutdown amid the Covid-19 pandemic, but said it would be a crime for President Rodrigo Duterte to reverse the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) cease-and-desist order.
Palace spokesman Harry Roque said the NTC exercised its quasi-judicial function, and any meddling by Duterte would be a violation of his office’s code of conduct and anti-graft policies.
“Kahit gusto po na makapagbigay ng prangkisa ang Presidente mismo, wala po siyang ganiyang kapangyarihan. Gustuhin man na sabihin ng Presidente na diktahan iyang NTC, iligal po iyan dahil mayroong quasi-judicial power ang NTC at hindi po dapat pinanghihimasukan ng kahit sino, ” Roque said. “Kung ang Presidente po ay makikialam diyan sa NTC, ito po ay krimen.”
Roque said the government expected other broadcast networks to step up on their duty to deliver essential information to the people as the country battled Covid-19.
He also said the President remained neutral and would respect whatever decision the House of Representatives on ABS-CBN’s application for the renewal of its franchise, which expired May 4.
“Sa mga kakampi ng Presidente sa Kamara – neutral po ang Presidente, you can vote as you please dahil sa mula’t mula naman po e talaga naman pong hindi naman siya nanghihimasok, hindi po siya nagdidikta,” the spokesman said.
Roque asserted that Duterte had moved on from the ABS-CBN issue after company CEO Carlo Katigbak issued an apology on February.
“Noong una po, mayroon talagang sama ng loob ang Presidente na kinimkim, pero nang humingi na po ng tawad si Ginoong Katigbak, nagpatawad naman po ang Presidente. Gaya ng humingi naman ang Presidente ng tawad doon sa dalawang grupo ng kumpanya kahapon lamang. So, sana po makarating ang mensahe sa mga kaalyado sa Kongreso.” John Ezekiel J. Hirro