Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 23) — A lawmaker on Wednesday questioned the credibility of former telco regulator chief Gamaliel Cordoba to lead the Commission on Audit (COA) following the “injustice” in ABS-CBN’s failed franchise push amid alleged political pressure.
“Paano po kayo pagkakatiwalaan ng publiko? At paano pagkakatiwalaan ang integridad ninyo bilang chair ng COA kung nilabag niyo ang isang commitment na binigay under oath?” Sen. Risa Hontiveros asked Cordoba before the screening panel of the Commission on Appointments.
[Translation: How can the public trust you? And how can they trust your integrity as COA chair if you violated a commitment given under oath?]
Hontiveros was referring to a previous commitment of Cordoba during a House hearing that the National Telecommunications Commission will provide a provisional authority to ABS-CBN, allowing the former broadcast giant to operate pending the renewal of its franchise.
Cordoba previously said it was based on the legal advice of the Department of Justice.
However, the NTC surprised the market with a different decision, slamming ABS-CBN with a closure order on May 5, 2020, just a few days after ex-Solicitor General Jose Calida warned the regulator against its plan.
“Despite your commitment under oath, instead of issuing a provisional authority, you issued on May 5 a cease and desist order against ABS-CBN after pressure from then Solicitor General Calida,” Hontiveros said.
But Cordoba defended the NTC’s decision, saying it was not driven by pressure but that a letter from the SolGen “[made] us pause.”
The former NTC chief explained the regulator conducted a thorough study of the case, where they examined a previous Supreme Court decision that stated a ruling of “no franchise, no operations.”
Cordoba expressed his apologies but stressed he was only following jurisprudence. He also noted that the Supreme Court itself junked ABS-CBN’s plea against the shutdown order.
SAGIP Party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta, one of the leading personalities who blocked ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal, accused Hontiveros of “belaboring” the issue.
Marcoleta even said the case was already “moot and academic.”
But Hontiveros held her ground, branding ABS-CBN’s case as a “continuing injustice” where thousands of Filipinos lost their jobs. She also noted that millions of families relied on the news and entertainment shows of the former broadcast titan.
The hearing on Cordoba’s designation as COA chief was suspended following the heated exchange between Hontiveros and Marcoleta.
