Philippines
Philippines

IN PHOTOS: Inside the ABS-CBN newsroom during first post-Martial Law shutdown

Gaby Baizas
IN PHOTOS: Inside the ABS-CBN newsroom during first post-Martial Law shutdown
This comes after the National Telecommunications Commission issued a cease and desist order against the network on Tuesday, May 5

MANILA, Philippines – Employees of media giant ABS-CBN turned emotional after the network went off-air Tuesday evening, May 5.

This comes after the National Telecommunications Commission issued a cease and desist order against ABS-CBN on Tuesday afternoon, a day after ABS-CBN’s franchise expired. (TIMELINE: Duterte against ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal)

ABS-CBN’s franchise was approved in 1995, and the network was allowed to operate for 25 years. However, Congress failed to act on the network’s franchise renewal.

Last February, Solicitor General Jose Calida filed a quo warranto petition against the media giant, seeking to stop its operations. Calida also accused the network of foreign ownership.

The last time ABS-CBN was ordered closed was in 1972, during Ferdinand Marcos’ Martial Law. It would reopen only in 1986 after a popular rebellion toppled the dictator and brought to power Corazon Aquino, the widow of slain opposition senator Benigno Aquino Jr.

Here’s a glimpse of the ABS-CBN newsroom minutes after they went off-air on Tuesday night:

NEWSROOM. The staff of ABS-CBN watch as President and CEO Carlo Katigbak makes a statement on the broadcast network shutdown by the National Telecommunication Commission on May 5, 2020. Photo courtesy of Alcuin Papa

WATCH. This photo shows ABS-CBN employees inside the newsroom minutes before the network went off-air. Photo courtesy of Alcuin Papa

– with a report from Paterno Esmaquel II/Rappler.com

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Gaby Baizas

Gaby Baizas is a digital forensics researcher at Rappler. She first joined Rappler straight out of college as a digital communications specialist. She hopes people learn to read past headlines the same way she hopes punk never dies.
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