Filipinos urged to reject media suppression two years after ABS-CBN shutdown

MANILA, Philippines — Groups called on Filipinos to reject all forms of media suppression and false content two years after media giant ABS-CBN was shut down by the government.

ABS-CBN ceased the operations of its television and radio channels on May 5, 2020 by the order of the National Telecommunications Commission after its 25-year franchise expired.

In July of the same year, lawmakers who are members of the House of Representatives’ committee on legislative franchise—most of whom are allied with President Rodrigo Duterte—rejected the broadcast network’s application for renewal of its broadcast franchise.

After ABS-CBN went off air, 11,000 network employees all over the country lost their jobs and millions of Filipinos lost a source of crucial and timely information as the nation faced catastrophic disasters and continues to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“While it is true that other networks have continued to broadcast, it is impossible to say that the loss of one network—especially of a broadcast giant—had no effect on the media landscape or on the people’s access to reliable and up-to-date information?” the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines said in a statement.

The shutdown of ABS-CBN and the denial of its franchise application came after Duterte’s sustained attacks against the broadcaster for failing to run political advertisements he had paid for during the 2016 presidential elections.

“We choose to remember the manner with which a privileged few made decisions that cost our colleagues their livelihood and deprived millions of our fellow Filipinos with one less source of reliable information in a world already under siege from disinformation and misinformation,” NUJP said.

“We choose to remember as well colleagues who lost their jobs or who were forced to leave media altogether because of the shutdown,” the group added.

Call to voters, leaders

In a statement, Akbayan Partylist said the shutdown of ABS-CBN is “not just a vulgar display of the abuse of power, but a violation of every ABS-CBN employee’s right to work” as it stressed that a free and independent press is one of the cornerstones of democracy and a just society.

“The press fulfills a vital role when it exposes the abuse of power, brings to life the impact of such abuse, and forces social change and justice as a result. Because the media do not just report facts. Its highest mission is the defense of truth and the public trust,” Akbayan said.

The party-list called on the public to reject all forms of media suppression, fake news, or manipulation, and choose leaders “who will defend the welfare of the individual backed by a commitment to rigor, facts, and the pursuit of what is right.”

Altermidya—a network of independent and progressive media outfits—also urged the country’s next leaders to bring back ABS-CBN, free detained journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio, drop all charges against journalists, and decriminalize libel, and stop the red-tagging of journalists and cyber-attacks against media outfits.