Philippine MPs refuse to renew ABS-CBN broadcast licence

Decision against country's top broadcaster condemned for undermining media freedom

A Filipina holds a placard as she joins a demonstration outside the ABS-CBN network headquarters in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines. EPA

A supporter wipes her tears after hearing the results of the voting in the House of Representatives on the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN at the company headquarters in Quezon City. AP Photo

An ABS-CBN employee cries after the Philippine congress voted against the renewal of the broadcast network's 25-year franchise. Reuters

ABS-CBN employees watch live coverage of the parliamentary hearing on the broadcaster's licence renewal from its headquarters in Quezon City. EPA

Employees watch a live footage of the hearing on the ABS-CBN franchise renewal at the network's headquarters in Quezon City. EPA

ABS-CBN employees react after Philippine MPs voted against renewing the network's broadcast franchise. EPA

Cory Vidanes, right, ABS-CBN executive and chief operating officer for broadcast, comforts TV reporter Chiara Zambrano after the hearing. EPA

Employees and supporters of the ABS-CBN network hold placards as they protest in front of the House of Representatives in Manila. AFP

Ernie Lopez, president of ABS-CBN Creative Programmes, talks to the media outside the network's office building. AFP

A Filipino reacts as supporters and employees gather outside the ABS-CBN network headquarters in Quezon City. EPA

Philippine lawmakers rejected the renewal of a 25-year licence for country's top broadcaster on Friday, outraging activists who saw the move to keep ABS-CBN Corp off the air as part of a political vendetta on behalf of President Rodrigo Duterte.

A legislative committee overwhelmingly agreed with a working group's assessment that ABS-CBN, which employs 11,000 people and has an audience of tens of millions of Filipinos, was "undeserving of the grant of legislative franchise".

Aides to Mr Duterte, 75, sought to distance the president from the decision, as activists have accused him of using courts, Congress and regulatory bodies to systematically stamp out opposition to his government.

Phil Robertson, Human Rights Watch deputy Asia director, called it "a black day for media freedom" and "an astounding display of obsequious behaviour" by lawmakers kowtowing to Mr Duterte.

"This move solidifies the tyranny of President Rodrigo Duterte," he said.

It comes a week after the passing of a controversial anti-terror law that Mr Duterte fast-tracked through the legislature, granting his security chiefs powers to arrest and detain without charge or judicial approval anyone they consider a "terrorist".

Critics fear it will be used as a weapon to target dissent, including journalists, bloggers, lawyers and civil society groups seeking his international indictment for thousands of killings in his war on drugs.

ABS-CBN has been on tenterhooks since Mr Duterte took office in 2016 and started threatening to block its renewal bid, in furious public outbursts stemming from the network's failure to air some of his paid election campaign commercials. It has since apologised.

Under Mr Duterte, the market value of ABS-CBN has slumped 69 per cent to $257 million (Dh944m). His spokesman, Harry Roque, said the president had always had "a neutral stance" on the franchise issue.

It was not immediately clear what the next steps would be for ABS-CBN, which continues to operate online, on cable and on social media, which are not impacted.

"This is a painful and sad day," said Regina Reyes, head of its news and current affairs.

"You feel your entire life's work was disregarded," she said, fighting back tears.

ABS-CBN's 21 radio and 38 television stations are a staple of news and entertainment across the Philippines and to the Filipino diaspora, generating big advertising revenues from brands keen to tap mass audiences drawn to its talent shows, dramas and glamorous celebrities.

Founded in 1953, the network was previously shut down under martial law imposed by the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1972 and reopened after his removal from power in 1986 by an army-backed “people power” revolt.

A caravan of cars carrying ABS-CBN employees and stars holding placards defending the network and media freedom circled parliament house. Its franchise loss was a top-trending issue on social media, with models and actors weighing in with support.

The decision follows a high-profile guilty verdict in a recent libel case against Maria Ressa, chief of news website Rappler, whose investigative reporting has frustrated the inner circle of Mr Duterte, a maverick former mayor.

Rappler is fighting several other legal cases filed by the state.