NTC sued for indirect contempt

MANILA, Philippines — Alternative news organization bulatlat.com yesterday asked the Quezon City Regional Trial Court to cite the National Telecommunications Commission for indirect contempt for allegedly defying a writ of preliminary injunction, which ordered the NTC to stop blocking its website.

The Alipato Media Center Inc., owner of bulatlat.com, filed the petition through its counsel, the National Union of People’s Lawyers.

The petitioner said the NTC continues to defy the writ of preliminary injunction issued by the Quezon City RTC Branch 306 on Aug. 11.

The court ordered the NTC to lift a memorandum issued on June 8, blocking the website of bulatlat.com.

Alipato Media Center said it posted the required injunction bond of P100,000 on Aug. 15, but the NTC still refused to comply with the court’s order.

“The website bulatlat.com continues to be inaccessible to its subscribers using Globe, Converge, PLDT and Smart internet service providers until today,” the petitioner said.

The online news outfit said the continued blocking of its website for more than 48 hours is an “outright act of defying a lawful court order.”

“Such defiance constitutes indirect contempt of court,” the petitioner said.

Judge Dolly Rose Bolante-Prado earlier said the writ of preliminary investigation would remain effective until a final adjudication of the merits of the case has been made.