UNCONSTITUTIONAL umano ang ginawa ng National Telecommunications Commission sa ABS-CBN 2.
Ayon kay House Deputy Speaker at Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay Jr., hindi binigyan ng NTC ng pagkakataon ang ABS-CBN na maipagtanggol ang sarili at agarang ipinasara ng wala man lang isinasagawang pagdinig.
Giit ni Pichay nakasaad sa Bill of Rights ng Konstitusyon “No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, nor shall any person be denied the equal protection of laws” and Section 4: “No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.”
Iginiit ni Pichay na wala ng mas tataas pa sa Konstitusyon ng bansa.
“The NTC order closing down ABS-CBN should be revoked because it is in clear violation of the Bill of Rights,” dagdag pa ni Pichay.
Iginiit din ni Pichay na walang batas na nagsasabi na kailangang kumuha ng legislative franchise ang isang broadcasting network para makapag-operate.
Paliwanag ng solon ang pinagbatayan ng National Telecommunications Commission sa pagpapalabas ng cease and desist order ay ang RA 3846 na napawalang bisa na ng ilabas ni dating Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos noong 1974 ang Presidential Decree 576-A.
Ang PD 576 naman ay napawalang saysay ng isabatas ang RA 7925 noong 1995.
At sa ilalim umano ng RA 7925 ay hindi tinukoy na dapat kumuha ng legislative franchise ang broadcast companies at ang sinabi lamang sa batas na dapat kumuha nito ay ang telecommunication industry.
“Under RA 7925, the terms “telecommunications”, “broadcasting”, “public telecommunications entity” and “franchise” were clearly defined. The definition of a public telecommunications entity does not include broadcasting, which is a separate and distinct activity. Neither does the definition of franchise include broadcast entities.”
“Clearly, there is a gap in the law because only public telecommunications entities are required to obtain a franchise which excludes those persons engaged in broadcasting companies.”
Upang matugunan ang pananahimik na ito ng batas ay inihain ni Pichay ang House bill 6680 upang maging malinaw na kahit na ang mga broadcast companies ay kailangang kumuha ng congressional franchise.
“The law is very clear. RA 7925 states that only public telecommunications entities are required to obtain a legislative franchise. Inexplicably, the law does not require broadcast entities to seek a legislative franchise,” ani Pichay.