MANILA - The House of Representatives, which sat on bills seeking the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN Corp, should put the Philippine's largest media outfit back on air, the Human Rights Watch said Thursday.

The "inaction" of the House on the license renewal bills, some filed since 2016, "led to the closure" on Tuesday of the internet and media giant with 11,000 workers, said the New York-based rights monitor.

"Congress should stop ducking responsibility and reverse [President Rodrigo] Duterte’s latest attempt to muzzle the press, especially when the public needs timely and accurate information more than ever," Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement.

Lawmakers, HRW added, "should promptly renew the franchise" that expired last Monday.

• TIMELINE: Will ABS-CBN get a new broadcast franchise?

Lawmakers earlier urged the National Telecommunications Commission to allow the media and internet giant to operate provisionally beyond May 4 and officials previously gave the assurance that ABS-CBN would get a provisional permit.

• NTC to allow ABS-CBN to operate until June 2022

However, the NTC's cease-and-desist order on Tuesday cited the franchise expiration and said the outfit's operators would have to appeal for a return to the airwaves.

• NTC orders ABS-CBN to stop broadcasting

Duterte in December 2019 told ABS-CBN, "You’re out. I will see to it that you’re out." In February, he accepted the network's apology for airing a 2016 campaign ad placed by a critic.

"The Philippine government shutdown of ABS-CBN reeks of a political vendetta by President Duterte, who has repeatedly threatened the network for criticizing his abusive 'war on drugs,'" said HRW's Robertson.

"Those concerned about public health messaging and the COVID-19 crisis in the Philippines should call on legislators to right this wrong, get ABS-CBN back on the air, and protect media freedom throughout the country," he added.

The President is "completely neutral" on ABS-CBN's franchise renewal, his spokesman said Wednesday.

• Duterte asks Congress: Why not just pass ABS-CBN franchise?

Sa gitna ng pagsubok na ito, mananatili kaming tapat sa aming sinumpaang tungkulin bilang mga lingkod ng bawat Pilipino.

Mensahe ng aming President at CEO na si Carlo Katigbak ang pagkakaisa at pagtutulungan ng bawat Kapamilya. pic.twitter.com/Kow2mRfyPn

— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) May 5, 2020

Aside from franchise delays, ABS-CBN is facing a quo warranto challenge lodged before the Supreme Court by Solicitor General Jose Calida. The government's lead lawyer is seeking to nullify ABS-CBN's franchise due to alleged illegal pay-per-view offerings and foreign ownership.

The network, which reached millions of Filipinos through its television, radio and online platforms, said it did not violate the law in its 65 years of service.

ABS-CBN said it would challenge the shutdown of its free TV and radio services in court. The ruling does not affect its other platforms, such as cable and online.

• Which ABS-CBN businesses can still operate after NTC's cease and desist order?

The shutdown is only the second time ABS-CBN has gone off the air.
The military shut down the network 2 days after Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law in September 1972. After the 1986 "People Power" that ousted Marcos, President Corazon Aquino returned ABS-CBN to its former owners.

ABS-CBN's shutdown "runs parallel to other attempts by the government to intimidate media outlets critical of the administration," said the HRW.

New website Rappler and its founder Maria Ressa, known for critical reportage on the administration, are facing several cases including libel and tax-related charges.

news.abs-cbn.com is the official news website of ABS-CBN Corp.