Palace says ABS-CBN free to exhaust all legal remedies after NTC issued cease and desist order

May 6, 2020

Malacanang said on Tuesday that ABS-CBN Corp. is "free to exhaust all legal remedies available" after the National Telecommunications Commission issued a cease and desist order against the broadcast network for lack of a valid legislative franchise.

In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in the absence of a legislative franchise, "ABS-CBN's continued operation is entirely with the NTC's decision."

"ABS-CBN is free to exhaust all legal remedies available to it," he said.

He noted that President Rodrigo Duterte, as a "matter of record," accepted the apology of the television network.

He also said that Duterte has left ABS-CBN's fate to Congress.

"Let the public be informed that broadcast franchises are within the authority of Congress. It has discretion on what to do with the legislative franchise of ABS-CBN and other broadcasting companies similarly situated," Roque said.

He said the Palace thanks the network for its services to the Filipino nation and people especially in this time of coronavirus disease pandemic.

ABS-CBN Convergence’s franchise expired last March 17, 2020, while ABS-CBN Corp’s franchise ended on May 4, 2020.

In previous occasions, Duterte, who accused the broadcast network of "swindling" him on his campaign ads in the 2016 presidential elections, vowed to oppose ABS-CBN's renewal of franchise. Celerina Monte/DMS