"This is another serious allegation against the Lopez-owned network."
"This is another serious allegation against the Lopez-owned network."
Santa Banana, after the double whammy last week with the National Telecommunications Commission shutting down Channel 43 of Amcara Broadcasting, where the Lopez-owned ABS-CBN network had a supposed block time arrangement airing TV Plus, now comes another accusation.
There was another cease-and-desist order from the NTC to the ABS-CBN network to shut down SkyCable, another subsidiary.
Cavite Rep. Jesus Crispin Remulla said ABS-CBN committed fraud by having a block time arrangement with Amcara.
This accusation of fraud, committed through misrepresentation, is the worst-ever charge thrown against the Lopez network. My gulay, Remulla is not the only one accusing ABS-CBN of fraud. Party-list Rep. Mike Defensor is doing it as well. Just how the network can get out of the hole of its own making, I don’t know. I believe that for this charge alone, the proposed renewal of ABS-CBN’s 25-year franchise must be denied.
My gulay, when the NTC engineers inspected the source of the Amcara broadcast, they found that it was coming from Mother Ignacia Street in Quezon City, where the ABS-CBN tower and main offices are located. According to the NTC, Amcara has no equipment to use for digital broadcast.
Considering the fact that a mass media company like ABS-CBN has allegedly been committing fraud to make more money, the House committee on legislative franchises should make the National Bureau of Investigation look into this anomaly also. This seems to be a knockout blow for ABS-CBN.
**
As if President Rodrigo Duterte had no headaches in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, now he has signed the Anti-Terrorism Act.
I have not read the full text of the law, but I am told that there is a provision that allows for the suspension of habeas corpus. This means suspects can be arrested without a warrant and detained for as many as 14 days – more than what is provided for in the Constitution.
If this is true, then the law would be worse than martial law!
It is bad enough that the law is prone to abuse. No wonder a group of lawyers has already questioned it before the Supreme Court.
I agree that in going after terrorists, we should have draconian measures. But not this. President Duterte may as well have declared martial law nationwide, my gulay!
**
The global number of COVID-19 cases has breached the 11-million mark. The number is still rising. Here at home, there have been more than 40,000 cases. My gulay, given this trend, we may reach 60,000 by the end of the month!
But why are the President and the Inter-Agency Task Force now easing restrictions? No less than the World Health Organization has said the worst is yet to come!
I can understand the pressure that the President is under. People are losing jobs and going hungry. Still, health and safety are primordial.
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I just had my third haircut during this pandemic. The haircut may not be done professionally, but it will do for now. At least I save some money by not going to my favorite barber, Bruno’s.
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So many of my relatives and friends are passing away, My wife and I have not been able to go to wakes and funerals to commiserate with their loved ones.
Indeed there are many things we can no longer do because of COVID-19. We accept this as inevitable.
