‘NTC should avoid repeat of Bombo fiasco’

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) should reexamine its system of monitoring media franchises to avoid the repetition of the Bombo Radyo fiasco, opposition Sen. Tessie Aquino-Oreta said yesterday.

Oreta cited the admission of NTC Commissioner Eliseo Rio at a recent Senate hearing that it erred in suspending the operations of Bombo stations in Cauayan, Isabela and Butuan City and threatening to close down 11 more.

"The backlash that attended the arbitrary closure of the two stations of Newsounds Broadcasting Network, owner of Bombo stations, should prompt Rio and his subordinates to be more circumspect in slapping suspension orders against media networks lest they be accused of curtailing press freedom," Oreta said.

Rio suspended the two Bombo stations without the benefit of a hearing but reconsidered after finding out that Bombo filed applications before the NTC for renewal of the stations’ licenses and permits as far back as 1996.

The Senate committee on public information and mass media also found out that the NTC violated procedures when it suspended the Bombo stations last February without the benefit of a hearing.

"These injudicious acts of the NTC should prompt it to review its system of monitoring media franchises," Oreta said.

She stressed that the NTC should stop such "sloppy acts" as a result of poor monitoring as its actions have far-reaching impact on freedom of the press.

She also chided NTC for its "misplaced priorities."

"Instead of cracking down on Bombo Radyo, the NTC should devote its time and resources to protecting subscribers in the telecommunications industry against the anti-consumer schemes of mobile phone giants," Oreta said. – Efren Danao