Philippine telecoms body orders ABS-CBN to shut down

Philippine telecoms body orders ABS-CBN to shut down

Supporters of ABS-CBN, the country's top broadcast network, hold a rally against the Philippine government's move to scrap its franchises, in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, Feb 10, 2020. (Reuters file photo)
Supporters of ABS-CBN, the country's top broadcast network, hold a rally against the Philippine government's move to scrap its franchises, in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, Feb 10, 2020. (Reuters file photo)

MANILA: The Philippines' telecoms body on Tuesday ordered the country's leading broadcaster ABS-CBN Corp to cease operations immediately, saying its license had expired.

President Rodrigo Duterte has regularly criticised ABS-CBN, in what opposition lawmakers and activists have described as an attack on independent media.

The National Telecommunications Commission said ABS-CBN's 25-year congressional license expired on May 4. The company has 10 days to respond and say why frequencies assigned to it should not be recalled, it added.

There was no immediate comment from ABS-CBN. 

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