BANTAY Radyo network will be moving to its new home about 500 meters away form its old one.
Sarraga Integrated and Management (Siam) Broadcasting Corp., which owns Bantay Radyo, has informed the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) that it will transfer its Metro Cebu station from Escario Street to the Cebu CFI Cooperative Building on M. Velez Street, Cebu City.
Bantay Radyo network is composed of dyDD in Metro Cebu, dyHH in Bogo City and dyZZ in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental.
The network became controversial after Provincial Board Member Grecilda Sanchez-Zaballero went to court because the Sarraga family, which owns Siam Broadcasting, did not renew the contract entered into by his father, the late vice governor Gregorio Sanchez Jr.
The contract expires on July 31.
It was learned that Siam Broadcasting rejected the offer of Zaballero to renew the contract.
Instead, Siam Broadcasting signed a new contract with CFI cooperative, whose board is chaired by retired judge Esperanza Garcia, mother of former governor and now Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia (Cebu, 3rd district).
The Sanchezes and Garcias are political rivals.
NTC 7 Director Jesus Laureno told Sun.Star Cebu that based on their records, Siam Broadcasting Corp. is owned by the Sarraga family, who decided to transfer management of the station to the CFI cooperative.
Laureno said there's no need for Siam Broadcasting to apply for a permit to transfer because the law allows transfer within a 500-meter distance.
The current location of the station on Escario St. is less than 500 meters away from CFI Building.
Bantay Radyo was acquired in 1994 by former Cebu governor Emilio “Lito” Osmeña, the then presidential economic adviser of President Fidel Ramos.
Osmeña entered into an agreement with his cousin, the late Dante Sarraga, who willingly allowed him to use the franchise of Siam Broadcasting to operate the three radio stations.
When Osmeña lost his presidential bid in 1998, he turned over the entire Bantay Radyo network to Siam Broadcasting, which operated it for several years despite heavy business losses.
When Greg Sanchez's Lacto Pafi company went public in 2002, he entered a lease-contract with Siam Broadcasting to operate the network until July 31, 2015.