Malacañang on Wednesday stressed that President Rodrigo Duterte has no power to revoke ABS CBN’s shutdown order of the the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) as it is a quasi-judicial decision.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in an interview with ANC that intervening on the decision may place the chief executive in hot water.
Roque said the President may be held liable for “graft and violation of the code of conduct” if would intervene, saying that the Palace had a thorough research on the matter.
The media giant’s legislative franchise expired on May 4 and immediately went off air after receiving the cease and desist order of NTC on May 5.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, meanwhile, has a different view.
In an interview with CNN Philippines, he said Duterte may reverse orders by any departments or agencies under the executive branch.
However, Guevarra emphasized that “it’s useless to discuss this” as the President already expressed that he will not interfere with the NTC desicion.
