‘No one wins’ in ABS-CBN shutdown — bishop
Church • 07:30 AM Sun Jul 12, 2020
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By:
CBCP news
Catholic bishops have criticized the lawmakers’ decision to reject the license renewal of the country’s largest broadcast network that had come under fire from President Rodrigo Duterte.
Bishop Ruperto Santos of Balanga warned that “no one wins” in the shutdown of ABS-CBN — a major source of information and entertainment for Filipinos in and outside the country.
“A great loss to all of us Filipinos. No one wins. It’s just an added suffering to all of us. No one can rejoice,” Bishop Santos said.
The bishop also expressed sympathy to the network’s more than 11,000 employees who risk losing their jobs.
“Shutting down ABS-CBN will never bring healing. Our hope is extinguished. Help is not extended. It is a loss for all of us,” he said.
“In this difficult and devastating time of Covid-19 we should be more considerate, more compassionate and charitable,” the bishop added.
ABS-CBN’s radio and tv stations will remain off the air after lawmakers on Friday officially denied its franchise renewal.
The major news provider had been repeatedly threatened by Duterte for its unflinching coverage.
The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) had ordered the station to stop operating in May after its franchise expired.
“Once more, Congress has disappointed us,” Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan said.
According to him, whatever issues ABS-CBN has could have been dealt with in proper proceedings.
“And now, another channel of free expression is killed as if we have not killed enough of our countrymen,” he said.