MANILA, Philippines — The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) on Tuesday issued a Cease and Desist Order against Kapamilya Network after its legislative franchise expired on May 4.

The Cease and Desist Order from the NTC dated May 5, 2020 directed ABS-CBN Netwrok to suspend TV and radio broadcasting stations all over the country due to the ground of the “absence of a valid Congressional Franchise required by law.”

NTC cited Republic Act No. 3846 or the Radio Control Law which states that “no person, firm, company, association, or corporation shall construct, install, establish, or operate a radio transmitting station, or radio receiving station used for commercial purposes, or a radio broadcasting station, without having first obtained a franchise therefor from the Congress of the Philippines.”

The expiration of the Republic Act. No 7966, granting the ABS-CBN a 25-year franchise to run the program to its TV and radio broadcasting stations, the NTC pronounced that ABS-CBN has “no longer valid and subsisting congressional franchise as required by Act No. 3846.

“The NTC Regional Offices shall implement the closure order in their respective areas of jurisdiction,” NTC said in a statement.

The order also required the ABS-CBN to answer or response the NTC Cease and Desist Order in ten (10) days upon receipt to give their side why the frequencies assigned to the network should not be recalled.

“After receipt of ABS-CBN’s response, the NTC shall schedule the case for hearing at the earls time after he Enhanced Community Quarantine is lifted by the Government,” NTC said.

However, the 11 bills requesting for the renewal of franchise of ABS-CBN still pending in the House committee on legislative franchises.