A SHUTTERED broadcast network critical of President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Monday said it has mechanisms for handling mistakes amid allegations of bias.
ABS-CBN Corp. has an in-house ombudsman who “receives, investigates and makes recommendations on complaints against news personnel,” Ma. Regina Reyes, who heads the media giant’s Integrated News and Current Affairs, told congressmen hearing its application for a franchise extension on Monday.
She said the mechanism ensures that its journalists adhere to their own code of ethics and observe the highest professional and ethical standards.
“We uphold this accountability and responsibility as vigorously as we uphold press freedom, freedom of expression and free speech,” Ms. Reyes told the virtual hearing.
She said about 69 million Filipinos have been deprived of the information that the broadcaster had been providing before the government ordered its closure after its franchise expired.
The National Telecommunications Commission shut down ABS-CBN’s TV and radio services on May 5. It also closed the network’s digital TV transmission through ABS-CBN TV Plus on June 30. — Patricia S. Gajitos
