Press Release
May 4, 2020

Dispatch from Crame No. 789:
Sen. Leila M. de Lima's Comments on SOLGEN Calida's Threat against Issuance of Provisional License to ABS-CBN

5/4/20

SOLGEN Calida's threat to sue the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and its commissioners if they will issue provisional authorities to ABS-CBN and its affiliate, ABS-CBN Convergence, Inc., is an absolute violation of his duty as the statutory lawyer of NTC.

This would be the second time in which the Office of the Solicitor General under Mr. Calida acted against its client's interest, the prior one being when they issued an unsolicited legal opinion which stated that POGOs are not subject to income tax in the Philippines. To this day, POGOs are using Mr. Calida's opinion to fend off collection efforts by the OSG-client Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), to the prejudice of our country.

In his threat against the NTC, he also belittled and contradicted the official position of the Department of Justice, Senate and House of Representatives, that there is sufficient basis to allow the continued operation of ABS-CBN while the bills to extend their franchise are pending in Congress.

Lawyers must be advocates of their clients. Mr. Calida's action smacks of conflict of interest and is a violation of the Code of Professional Responsibility. Canon 17 of the Code states that a lawyer owes fidelity to the cause of his client and he shall be mindful of the trust and confidence reposed in him. Mr. Calida should be dismissed from service for publicly going against OSG's clients and disbarred for his misconduct.

Mr. Calida, ikaw ata ang tunay na may problema. Ang POGO na perwisyo, aprubado sa'yo. Ang ABS-CBN na nagseserbisyo, rejected mo. Kapakanan ng bayan ay bina-balewala. Kapritso ni Duterte ang sa iyo'y mahalaga.

Hindi matatawaran ang naging serbisyo ng ABS-CBN sa ating bayan sa buong panahon na sila ay nabigyan ng franchise ng ating gobyerno. Lalo pa natin silang kailangang manatili sa pamamahayag ngayong panahon ng COVID-19 pandemic kung kailan napakahalaga na makarating ang impormasyon sa ating mga kababayan.

I urge my colleagues in Congress to hasten the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN to ensure that their service to our people is not hampered during these trying times. Kailangan natin magtulong-tulong para malampasan ang delubyong ito na nararanasan ng ating bayan.

Patuloy sana tayong gabayan at pagpalain ng Poong Maykapal. ###

(Access the handwritten copy of Dispatch from Crame No. 789, here: https://issuu.com/senatorleilam.delima/docs/dispatch_789)

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