Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta lashed out National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba for allowing ABS-CBN to operate via their TV Plus and Channel 43.
During the legislative hearing on ABS-CBN’s franchise on Monday, Marcoleta and other lawmakers pointed out that the cease and desist order by NTC against ABS-CBN should also cover channel 43 and their TV plus operations.
Even Cordoba admitted that the lawmakers against ABS-CBN were correct.
Marcoleta who’s a known critic of ABS-CBN couldn’t hide his disappointment to Cordoba despite the explanations of the latter on why they let the Kapamilya network operate their shows in other ways.
According to him, he’s not convinced of the explanation of Cordoba that they’re waiting for the opinion from the office of the Solicitor General before deciding on the fate of channel 43 and TV plus.
“Ang sabi niya (Cordoba) ay bigyan lamang siya ng ilang araw because he’s discussing it with the Solicitor General, hindi naman po ako naniniwala na aabutin po tayo ng labing siyam na araw bago niya sabihin ngayon na ngayon palang niya ata i-issue ang cease and desist order, bakit po nagkaganon?” said Marcoleta.
Marcoleta said that he wanted the NTC commissioner to resign for allegedly ignoring the actions of ABS-CBN.
“Kung ako ang masusunod, dapat mag resign po si Commissioner Cordoba because he’s not doing his job,” he said.
Marcoleta also accused Cordoba of protecting ABS-CBN.
“Kung ako ang masusunod mag resign nalang po kayo, kasi pinagtatakpan po ninyo eh, ano po ang gagawin namin nandito kami eto bang ginagawa namin ngayon ay walang ka kwenta kwentang bagay? Nagpapagod po kami dito,” the lawmaker told Cordoba.
“Pero ngayon nakabuyangyang sa lahat ng telebisyon nakakapag broadcast parin sila eh, eh kung ganoon po ay itigil nalang po natin ang proceedings Mr. commissioner dahil kahit po pala wala silang prangkisa eh kaya nilang mag broadcast,” he added.
Cordoba during the same day said that ABS-CBN TV plus and Channel 43 should cease operation on June 30.
“All broadcast operations of ABS-CBN are only authorized through its expired franchise…In other words, ABS-CBN’s airing of digital TV on Channel 43 is part of the cease and desist order because the franchise that they used for that is ABS-CBN’s franchise,” said Cordoba.
However, it seems that Cordoba would face a serious problem as Cavite Rep. Boying Remulla hinted charges against the NTC commissioner.
“I believe we have already found a ground for this committee to file a case with the Ombudsman against Commissioner Cordoba because he has willfully disobeyed the power of Congress to issue franchises and allowing an entity to operate a franchise and earn money at the same time,” Remulla said.