The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) on Tuesday ordered ABS-CBN Corp. to stop operations as its congressional franchise had expired.

In an order issued Tuesday, the NTC directed ABS-CBN to stop operating its various TV and radio broadcasting stations nationwide “absent a valid Congressional Franchise as required by law.”

ABS-CBN Convergence’s franchise expired last March 17, 2020, while ABS-CBN Corp’s franchise ended on May 4, 2020.

ABS-CBN was also given ten days from receipt of the order to say why the frequencies assigned to it should not be recalled, NTC said,

The NTC Regional Offices shall implement the closure order in their respective areas of jurisdiction.

After getting ABS-CBN’s reply, the NTC shall schedule the case for hearing after the Enhanced Community Quarantine is lifted by the government.DMS