READ: Lawmakers slam NTC’s cease and desist order vs ABS-CBN
In a privilege speech, House Minority Leader Bienvenido Abante, Jr. said the cease-and-desist order of NTC preempted Congress in deciding on the fate of the network.
“This is an open defiance and an insult to Congress,” he said.
“The NTC should be abolished and its functions and powers be transferred to the DICT (Department of Information and Communication Technology) where it can be better exercised and hopefully be more responsive to the needs of our changing times,” he added.
Abante said the regulator should have just carried out its earlier statement to issue a provisional authority pending the franchise application in Congress.
However, Senior Deputy Majority Leader Jesus Crispin Remulla moved to strike out Abante’s remarks from the records as the issue is still pending at the committee and cannot be discussed in plenary yet.
The motion was approved.
Twelve bills in the House and three counter measures in the Senate proposed a fresh 25-year franchise for ABS-CBN.
House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano has yet to comment since the network shutdown, while Senate President Vicente Sotto III said senators are ready to grant a new permit to operate.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 6) – A House leader said on Wednesday the National Telecommunications Commission should be abolished in light of the order for ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation to go off air.
