Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 3) — Two lawmakers are calling on the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to look into the blocktime agreement between ABS-CBN and AMCARA Broadcasting Network.
This decision expressed by Representatives Michael Defensor and Jesus Crispin Remulla was based on a report from the National Telecommunications Commision (NTC) presented during the joint hearing of the House Committees on Legal Franchises and Good Government and Public Accountability Thursday.
NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba said that the radio frequency monitoring of the report to locate the signal of Channel 43 “shows that a strong signal is emanating from the direction of ABS-CBN’s tower along Mother Ignacia Street, Quezon City.”
Defensor believes that the signal being used by Channel 43 is owned by ABS-CBN.
“Ngayon po sinabi ng NTC, walang eqipment si AMCARA. At no’ng chineck ng kanilang technical staff, ang signal nanggagaling sa ABS-CBN tower sa compound,” he said.
[Translation: Now the NTC says, AMCARA has no equipment. And when NTC’s technical staff checked it, the signal is coming from the ABS-CBN tower in their compound.]
ABS-CBN President and CEO Carlo Katigbak said in one of the Congressional hearings that they maintain a blocktime agreement with AMCARA that’s why the latter can air their TV Plus channels.
“Padala po natin ang NBI. Tawagan natin ang NBI, tulungan tayo mag imbestiga tungkol sa veracity ng report ng NTC,” said Remulla.
[Translation: Let us send the NBI. Let us call the NBI to help us investigate the veracity of the NTC report.]
AMCARA Broadcasting Network is where ABS-CBN airs digital TV. ABS-CBN’s TV Plus offerings include CineMO!, Yey!, TeleRadyo, and pay-per-view channel KBO.
