The leading media network in the Philippines was demanded to sign off the air on Tuesday, becoming the first major broadcaster to have met such a fate during President Rodrigo Duterte's administration that is cracking down on news outlets condemning his leadership.
ABS-CBN Corp. was issued a cease-and-desist order by the administration's telecommunications commission one day after the media giant's broadcast franchise expired.
The TV network has been forced to terminate operations after President Duterte's allies in Congress declined to renew the station's 25-year license.
The government agency responsible for awarding broadcasting licenses said "absent a valid Congressional Franchise, as required by law," ABS-CBN Corp. should halt its various television and radio operations.
The network employs about 11,000 people.
Going off the air on free TV and radio across the country, according to the company in a statement, "This is in compliance with the cease and desist order issued by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) today that prohibits ABS-CBN from continuing its broadcast operations effective immediately."
The channel was initially advised that it could continue broadcasting as it waited for Congress to renew its license that expired on Monday, but the regulator then stated that it should stop on Tuesday.
Correspondents have said that President Duterte is notorious for silencing media critics.
Philippine business and church leaders expressed distress on Wednesday over the government agency's shutdown of the Philippines' largest TV and radio network that has been a major provider of reports on the COVID-19 pandemic.
International watchdogs reproved the closure of ABS-CBN Corp., as a huge blow to press freedom in a bastion of democracy in Asia. Opposition lawmakers and activists have also described President Duterte's criticism on ABS-CBN as an attack on independent media.
The media company has 10 days to respond and clarify why frequencies designated to it should not be recalled.
No immediate comment was provided by the media conglomerate.
Back in 2016, the broadcaster declined to run the president's campaign advertisements. Since then, he has pressurized to block the renewal of the company's franchise which had been operating for 25 years.
According to Solicitor General Jose Calida, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) should not be accused for the shutdown of ABS-CBN.
Calida, who previously submitted a quo warranto case that pursued to nullify ABS-CBN's franchise, said the bill for the renewal of the TV network's franchise has been pending before Congress since 2016.
Complying with the order, ABS-CBN said, "Millions of Filipinos will lose their source of news and entertainment when ABS-CBN is ordered to go off the air on TV and radio tonight when people need crucial and timely information as the nation deals with the Covid-19 pandemic."
The broadcast company wrapped up its programming on its channel displaying a message, "This is ABS-CBN Corporation Channel 2. In the service of the Filipino. Now signing off."
According to NTC Deputy Commissioner Edgardo Cabarios in an interview with ABS-CBN's radio station, DZMM, the order is described as "immediately executory," while the Department of Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra attested the legal opinion.
The ABS-CBN management said in a statement first read on-air over DZMM, "We did not violate the law. This case appears to be an attempt to deprive Filipinos of the services of ABS-CBN."
