Following the National Telecommunications Commission’s May 5 cease and desist order to broadcasting giant ABS-CBN and the network’s decision to sign off by 8pm as it pushed on with its legal battle for its franchise, #NoToABSCBNShutdown became a trending topic worldwide with over a million tweets and the tweets kept coming until past midnight.
#OustDuterte became a trending topic anew. Many people saw Duterte’s much-publicized vitriol against the network since he sat on the presidency the reason why the network’s franchise lapsed despite proposed legislations have been sitting in the House of Representatives (in which Duterte has a “surpermajority’ of allies and the current leader, House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano was his vice presidential running mate when he ran for presidency) for years. And despite other network’s franchise extension have been promptly approved.
Reporters from ABS-CBN tweeted about #NoToABSCBNShutdown:
ABS-CBN, DZMM, other stations will go off air for now.
But we will be back, just as we survived martial law.
Let history and the Filipino people judge this moment.
(Our coverage continues on ANC and DZMM Teleradyo.)#NoToABSCBNshutdown pic.twitter.com/7yRthWpWA0
— Mike Navallo (@mikenavallo) May 5, 2020
What you’re going to see on @abscbn after today. #notoabscbnshutdown pic.twitter.com/2QjLfGCYKT
— Ces Oreña-Drilon (@cesdrilon) May 5, 2020
Para sa Malayang Pamamahayag ❤️?? #Kapamilya #InTheServiceOfTheFilipino #NoToABSCBNShutDown #DefendPressFreedom #IStandWithAbsCbn pic.twitter.com/WYN6uD5vFZ
— Abner Mercado (@AbnerMercado) May 5, 2020
The first time ABSCBN was forced to go off air was on Sept 21, 1972 after the declaration of Martial Law.
And then today… May 5, 2020. #DefendPressFreedom #IStandWithABSCBN pic.twitter.com/Ap4Q5n0Snn
— Karen Davila (@iamkarendavila) May 5, 2020
Journalists from other networks and media outfits showed their support:
ABS, please keep your air. Please, please keep your air. #NoToABSCBNShutDown
— Lian Buan (@lianbuan) May 5, 2020
Why we must #StandWithABSCBN—A THREAD#IStandWithABSCBN #DefendPressFreedom#NoToABSCBNShutDown pic.twitter.com/OZWzhfEqPK
— Rambo Talabong (@ramboreports) May 5, 2020
The NTC order is an abomination. Legislative tradition, actual practice & DOJ opinion all allow a network to continue operating while franchise renewal is pending in Congress; this order violates the spirit of both law and Constitution.
I #standwithABS-CBN. #NoToABSCBNShutDown https://t.co/Gp5jUxOKu1
— John Nery (@jnery_newsstand) May 5, 2020
— Kara David (@karadavid) May 5, 2020
Others questioned the government’s actions during the COVID-19 pandemic:
this is what Duterte is trying to distract you from with the cease and desist order against ABS-CBN. #NoToABSCBNShutdown#IStandWithABSCBN pic.twitter.com/b3uRBmrb61
— bene (@besanti) May 5, 2020
We have BIGGER problems in this poor country that should be prioritised over immediately shutting down one of the major news outlets of the nation, our source of information ‘outside’ during this pandemic.
Ano ang tunay na prioridad ng administrasyon? ? #NoToABSCBNShutDown
— Ysabel S. Vitangcol (@YSVitangcol) May 5, 2020
The government would rather shut down ABS-CBN instead of getting its act together to fix the COVID-19 crisis. It was during Ferdinand Marcos' Martial Law when ABS-CBN was last ordered to close down. Dictators really are afraid of the truth. #DefendPressFreedom #NoToABSCBNShutDown
— Mara Cepeda (@maracepeda) May 5, 2020
Attack the virus, not the press, not our right to know. The press plays a critical role in delivering timely info, and holding power to account amid public health crisis. The Duterte regime must focus its efforts to defeat COVID-19 instead.#DefendPressFreedom#NoToABSCBNShutDown
— Sarah Elago (@sarahelago) May 5, 2020
HINDI GINAWA ni Duterte:
❌ Early travel ban vs. China
❌ Proper #COVID19PH response
❌ Jail Koko, Mocha for breaking quarantine
❌ Collect P50B unpaid tax from ??POGOsGINAWA ni Duterte:
✅ Shut down ABS-CBN, which supplies Filipinos with life-saving news#NoToABSCBNShutdown
— Superficial Gazette ?? (@SuperficialGZT) May 5, 2020
Best president in the solar system 'yan.??#NoToABSCBNShutDown pic.twitter.com/rJYx4hS6OM
— Geng50 (@Geng501) May 5, 2020
Many hit the callousness of putting more than 11,000 jobs at stake during the lockdown that has pushed millions to hunger and greater poverty:
It is immoral, unfair, irrational, unjust, illegal & against the national interest to deprive people of a crucial platform for relevant information at a time of pandemic & destabilize the livelihood of thousands of employees.#notoabscbnshutdown
— Pilo Hilbay (@fthilbay) May 5, 2020
Mom is crying while watching this breaking news about ABS-CBN’s closure. “Iyan ang tahanan ng anak ko. Malapit sa loob ko ang ABS-CBN.”
This is depressing. But the fight is not over! #notoabscbnshutdown
— Kevin Manalo (@kevinmanalo_) May 5, 2020
Shame on people who find joy in the NTC order vs ABS-CBN. Thousands are going to lose their jobs while we are all in the middle of a crisis. This is not just about the owners, but also the thousands employed by the network, breadwinners of their families. #NoToABSCBNShutdown
— Jodesz Gavilan (@jodeszgavilan) May 5, 2020
why is a network that has done so much for filipinos, providing 11k+ jobs, info (esp in this pandemic), and entertainment being shut down.. but POGO disregards our country’s laws AND YET is still allowed to run free & continue operations? #NoToABSCBNShutDown
— Janina Vela (@janinavela) May 5, 2020
And many decried the trampling of press freedom, only made possible in a regime of tyranny:
Shutting down a major source of information during a pandemic is betrayal of public trust. It is an inexcusable tyrannical act and abuse of power. #Duterte will be judged harshly by history. #notoabscbnshutdown
— Maria Diosa Labiste (@diosalabiste) May 5, 2020
Media gets shut down ONLY under totalitarian, autocratic regimes.
And this persecution by the Regime vs ABS-CBN is yet another manifestation of the pervasive sense of entitlement & abuse of power w/in Duterte's emboldened, vengeful, oppressive inner circles.#NoToABSCBNShutdown
— Francis Baraan IV (@MrFrankBaraan) May 5, 2020
Relevant again lol! #NoToABSCBNShutDown pic.twitter.com/cz0RTUiJx9
— Quarantin-Tin Bersola (@wrong_kawaii) May 5, 2020
In solidarity with my journalist colleagues in the Philippines. pic.twitter.com/wPsRGglkp9
— Sheila Coronel (@SheilaCoronel) May 5, 2020
Some also called out “troll farms at work” when similar tweets (most likely copy-pasted) appeared and one still bearing instructions what to tweet was published when the ABS-CBN shutdown issue broke out.
troll farms at work. next time, remove the instructions. pic.twitter.com/zqy4MYZ4uQ
— laszlo lim (@McShutterlovin) May 5, 2020
#OUSTDUTERTENOW became a trending topic anew, in so many times during the 48-day and counting lockdown in Metro Manila and other parts of the country.
"Shutting down media is a work of a dictator" #NoToABSCBNShutDown #OUSTDUTERTENOW#DefendPressFreedom pic.twitter.com/wFbmNOzrak
— ًᴠɪᴄɪ⁷∞? | #OUSTDUTERTENOW (@uniktae) May 5, 2020
“In the service of the Filipino, now signing off.”
It never crossed my mind that this generation will ever encounter a media shutdown again. Inhumane, pathetic and infuriating. This a DEFINITE BLOW TO OUR DEMOCRACY. Wake up.#DefendPressFreedom #OUSTDUTERTENOW
— Rafa Lipat (@RafaelLipat) May 5, 2020
The last time a president closed down ABS-CBN, he was ousted in a people power revolution.
Remember, History Repeats Itself!#ShutDownDuterte #OUSTDUTERTENOW
— Dan Santos (@DanSantos8) May 5, 2020
Black screen na tv namin, just like the darkness our country is facing right now. #NoToABSCBNShutDown #OUSTDUTERTENOW pic.twitter.com/3bF41Lj2OK
— Peter #OustDuterte (@alter_edge) May 5, 2020
I hope we #NeverForget
EJK and human rights violations
Corruption and treason
Political persecution
Martial Law
Fake News
TRAIN Law
Misogyny
Silencing the pressAND THE LIST GOES ON#OUSTDUTERTENOW #Halalan2022
— Von Yacob (@heycaloy) May 5, 2020
When Jory Porquia was killed a week after the police were asking about him, his daughter and his colleagues wanted a caravan to call for justice but were thrown to jail instead.
Now that ABS-CBN is finally off air, tell me, hanggang hashtags na lang ba tayo???#OUSTDUTERTENOW
— REA❗️ JUSTICE FOR JORY PORQUIA (@rearidinghood) May 5, 2020
