SC orders NTC to comment on ABS-CBN’s petition on franchise renewal issue

The Supreme Court (SC) has ordered the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to comment on the petition filed by ABS-CBN against the commission’s cease and desist order.

“The court required respondent NTC to file a comment on the petition of ABS-CBN Corporation within a non-extendible period of 10 calendar days from receipt of notice,” SC spokesperson Brian Hosaka said.

Hosaka also said the SC has convened in an en banc session to discuss the temporary restraining order petition filed by ABS-CBN against the NTC order. 

The NTC ordered ABS-CBN to shut down after the network’s franchise expired earlier this month. 

The SC required the Senate and House of Representatives to comment on the petition of ABS-CBN in a separate order.

The high court also ordered the NTC to respond to the comments of the Senate and House of Representatives within five days. 

The SC has denied as well the petition filed by lawyer Larry Gadon that asked the high court to consolidate ABS-CBN’s petition with his earlier petition seeking to prohibit NTC from issuing provisional authority to the network. 

Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman meanwhile criticized the recalling of House Bill No. 6732, which was set to provide a provisional franchise for ABS-CBN.

Lagman urged Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and other lawmakers to “pursue the original intent of House Bill No. 6732 of granting the giant network a provisional franchise to operate while the House, albeit belatedly, deliberates thoroughly on the fate of the pending measures for franchise renewal.”