By The SUN
 |
| This is how the station appeared on TV after it was closed down by the Duterte government. |
It was the second time the 67-year-old network was silenced
since 1972, when the late President Ferdinand Marcos seized it after declaring
martial law. ABS was restored to its owners, the Lopez family, after the
popular revolt in 1986.
It comes as the country remains locked down as part of
measures to contain the coronavirus pandemic, and while several bills relating
to the network’s franchise renewal were left pending before the House of
Representatives.
 |
| PRESS FOR MORE INFO |
The broadcast giant shut down not only its iconic TV
station, but also its five AM radio stations, 18 FM stations and 42 TV stations,
in line with the NTC order.
The forced shutdown immediately drew condemnation from
various institutions and individuals, many of them journalists.
A statement from the Foreign Correspondents Association of
the Philippines (Focap) said in part: “The order threatens press freedom at a
time when the public needs an unfettered press the most. As the Philippines
reels from the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, ABS-CBN’s critical eye is
needed now more than ever to help inform the public.
 |
| Call now! |
“The move is clearly a case of political harassment against
a pillar of Philippine democracy that employs thousands of Filipinos whose
livelihoods are now at risk with the order.”
The University of the Philippines College of Mass
Communication did not mince words in laying the blame squarely on President
Duterte in its statement: “Again, the current administration demonstrates the
lengths it will go to silence critical media voices.”
De La Salle University made its sentiment known by lighting
up its Taft campus with ABS’ bright colors.
 |
| De La Salle University laments the loss of press freedom by projecting the ABS-CBN colors on its facade. |
An outspoken lawyers’ group, Free Legal Assistance noted
with a tinge of sadness: “This is how liberty dies, not with a loud bang but
with dead air.”
The station stopped programming after its lead news anchors
Noli de Castro, Bernadette Sembrano and Ted Failon thanked their viewers.
De Castro, who has long been identified as a supporter of
President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration, nevertheless struck a defiant tone
by saying: “We will not remain silent on this attack to our democracy.”
 |
| This appeared in many social accounts of netizens. |
Stunned netizens, many of them journalists, vented their
anger, frustration and defiance on social media, calling the NTC’s order an
attack on press freedom.
“Is this how we heal as one?”, asked veteran journalist
Emmie Velarde.
Another journalist from the Marcos-era press, Eugenio Ramos,
noted in the same thread: “It looks like a part of an undeclared martial law.”
 | |
|
Pocholo Concepcion, an editor at one of the country’s
dailies, proclaimed above a picture of the station’s logo, with its distinctive
bright colors replaced with black and white: “I stand with ABS-CBN. Defend
press freedom.”
Karen Davila, an outspoken anchor at ABS, lashed out with:
“Sa dami ng problema ng Pilipinas…sa dami ng nagkakasakit sa Covid…sa laki ng
problema ngayon sa ekonomiya…sa dami ng nawalan ng trabaho dahil sa
Covid…talagang pagpapatigil sa ABS CBN ang inatupag nila. Hindi ko maintindihan
nasaan ang puso ng mga ito.”
Even Mon Tulfo, a close ally of Duterte posted: “I was
crying as ABS-CBN was bidding goodbye to the nation in the last few minutes
before its closure. Yes, I shed copious tears but I’m sure millions of my
countrymen were also crying. Last time I heard we’re a democratic country where
freedom of the press and of speech is one of the hallmarks.”
But then he added, “But
if I know President Digong he will have the network reopened in the next few
days.You wanna bet?”
Just before the
station went off the air, several of its officials, including President
and CEO Carlo Katigbak and ABS-CBN Corporation Chair Mark Lopez, spoke during a
portion of primetime news program TV Patrol.
“We are asking for your continued support so that we may
continue our service through our broadcasts,” Katigbak said.
He said ABS-CBN also complied with all requirements of its
franchise renewal and broke now laws.
After TV Patrol, ABS-CBN formally signed off. DZMM’s
AM and MOR’s FM radio broadcasts also fell silent, along with their online
livestreams.
But the station’s overseas channel, TFC, said “it will
remain and continue to deliver relevant news and information, TV shows and
movies across our different channels and platforms via cable and satellite,
IPTV, and TFC Online.”
NTC released the order after ABS-CBN’s legislative franchise
expired on May 4. But before this, NTC sought legal advice from the Department of Justice, which said there
was “sufficient equitable basis” to allow the station to continue operating
while bills for the renewal of its franchise was pending with Congress.
Lawmakers, in turn, said they were expecting NTC to release
a provisional franchise to the network to give them time to discuss issues the
media giant’s franchise renewal.
Despite these, NTC Deputy Commissioner Edgardo Cabarios said
that its cease and desist order stemmed from “questions” about its franchise, which
were among issues raised by Solicitor General Jose Calida to the Supreme Court in
his quo warranto petition against the station last February.
