The work of government in issuing franchises should have been regulatory or administrative at best. It never had the power to choose to allow only those it wants to exercise press freedom or freedom of speech. It also does not have the power to curtail these civil liberties and basic human rights. Unless we’re under Martial Law.
Last night, President Rodrigo Duterte apologized to the Ayalas and Manny Pangilinan whom he cursed and whose businesses he threatened in the past year—somewhat out of the blue—leaving out the Lopezes and ABS-CBN for whom he has served the same vitriol over the years. That and the government’s lawyer Solicitor General Jose Calida threatening to sue the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) if they issue ABS-CBN a provisional authority after the expiration of its franchise on May 4 (something the NTC promised Congress) bore portent of today’s NTC’s cease and desist order served against ABS-CBN. In compliance with the NTC order, ABS-CBN will go off air tonight—it last went off air in 1972, when Ferdinand Marcos, Sr. imposed Martial Law and closed down all media except those it favored.
It is with high hopes that we don’t see ABS-CBN go off the air following this blatant assault on press freedom, only two days after World Press Freedom Day. We hope the network does not see this as merely a legal or business issue. This is an issue of democracy, of the hard-fought and hard-won liberties for which many gave their lives for. And these rights and liberties are endowed on the whole media community and the Filipino people, which they are now (even if unwillingly) at the forefront to claim a stake, to defend.
The government imposing media accreditation during the “enhanced community quarantine” which already constitutes prior restraint to press freedom and choosing not to accredit many independent and alternative media organizations was a start. The lockdown imposed before full blown medical solutions were undertaken and is still deficient in medical interventions after 48 days is all too reminiscent of Martial Law, if not worse. We live in these times now. But this can’t be our new normal.
Speak out against injustice. Criticize despite the dangers this entailed. Defy when we are being silenced. Defy tyranny—it is the death not only of press freedom, but all our freedoms as we know them.
#NoToABSCBNShutdown
#DefendPressFreedom
