The denial of a franchise for broadcasting giant ABS-CBN Corp is not a prelude to the declaration of martial law in the country, President Rodrigo Duterte’s top legal counsel has assured the public.
In his Counterpoint programme aired over state-run PTV-4, Salvador Panelo said legislators just followed the law when they decided to reject the network’s bid to get a new franchise.
“This does not mean it is a prelude to the declaration of martial law. This is in fact a further step toward the faithful observance of due process of law,” he added.
Panelo made the statement after Duterte said he was “extremely proud” in “dismantling the oligarchy” in the country without declaring martial law during his visit to a military camp in Jolo, Sulu.
He claimed that ABS-CBN “defiled” him and committed abuses, but denied he was behind the shutdown.
Panelo said Duterte was a victim of “estafa” when the network did not broadcast his paid campaign advertisement during the 2016 polls.
He added that ABS-CBN owners have “raked in millions,” avoided tax payments and neglected their workers.
The network announced that it would cease operating some of its businesses and lay off workers by August 31.
Panelo said granting a legislative franchise to a broadcast firm was a “privilege, not a right.”
The network, which has been off the air since May 5, will not be sequestered under a resolution filed by Deputy Speaker Luis Raymund Villafuerte of Camarines Sur that seeks temporary use of ABS-CBN’s facilities for planned distance learning modalities.
Instead, Villafuerte said on Saturday, he has proposed an “exceptional partnership” between Malacanang and the media giant that would enable the government to harness the broadcast network’s facilities for a blended education system amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
If the network would agree to his proposal, Villafuerte said ABS-CBN could continue operating for the duration of the blended learning approach and allow it to keep a good number of its employees on the payroll.
In case the network opts to stay out of the proposed partnership, Villafuerte said, the government should work out an arrangement with other private companies that have facilities or are willing to invest in such equipment for use in distance education and use the TV and radio frequencies formerly assigned to ABS-CBN.
The Palace welcomed Villafuerte’s proposal but its spokesman Harry Roque Jr said such a move would have to be decided upon by the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian agreed, saying the use of the “silenced” ABS-CBN frequencies for distance learning involved considerable issues.
“One is the technical facility. A frequency is very specific to a broadcast equipment. And it goes without saying that you also need qualified technical people to operate those equipment,” he said. “Two, is the quality of the equipment and broadcast facilities,” the senator said.