Malakanyang, itinangging may kamay sa pag-takeover ni Villar sa ABS-CBN frequencies

SINABI ng Malakanyang na humingi lang ng guidance ang National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) sa Office of the Executive Secretary (OES) ukol sa pag-a-assigned ng “available and unused frequencies” at walang direktang kamay ang OES sa pagbibigay ng frequency ng ABS-CBN sa Advanced Media Broadcasting System (AMBS).

Ang pahayag na ito ni acting Presidential spokesperson at Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles ay makaraang iulat nito na pinayagan na ng NTC ang AMBS ni dating Senate President Manny Villar na i-air over ang Channel 2 at Channel 16 hanggang 2023 “for simulcast purposes”.

Ang dalawang channels o frequencies ay dati ng ginamit ng ABS-CBN bago pa sila puwersahang mag- “off the air” noong 2020.

Sa isang panayam, sinabi ni Nograles na walang pangalan ng kahit na anumang indibidwal, kumpanya o entity ang nabanggit nang magpunta ang NTC sa OES.

“When the NTC went to the OES, it was only to seek guidance on the authority to assign available and unused frequencies,” ayon kay Nograles.

“There was no mention of any name, whatsoever,” dagdag na pahayag nito.

Ganito rin aniya ang naging kaso nang lumapit ang NTC sa Department of Justice (DOJ).

“When NTC went to the DOJ, it was purely asking a legal question. There was no mention of any names of anyone or any private company or any entity,” ani Nograles.

“It was a pure, legal question asking for a legal opinion from the Department of Justice regarding authority to allocate unused and available frequencies and the power to issue provisional authorities. When DOJ gave its legal opinion, it was just purely answering a legal question,” aniya pa rin.

Sa huli naman aniya ay ang NTC pa rin ang magde-desisyon.

“This is just purely questions. It’s really up to the NTC based on their rules and regulations and based on existing laws,” ani Nograles. (Daris Jose)