“We want to put an end to what we discovered to be highly abusive practice of ABS-CBN benefiting a greedy few at the expense of millions of its loyal subscribers,” Mr. Calida said in a statement announcing the move. “These practices have gone unnoticed or were disregarded for years.”

But critics of Mr. Duterte say he is on the warpath against media entities that have questioned his drug war, which has drawn international condemnation. ABS-CBN, along with the Filipino online news site Rappler, have been at the forefront of critical reporting about the antidrug campaign, which has left nearly 6,000 people dead since Mr. Duterte took office in 2016.

Mr. Calida said the government will prove that ABS-CBN has been broadcasting for a fee, “which is beyond the scope of its legislative franchise.” He also accused the company of hiding behind what he said was an “elaborately crafted corporate veil” by allowing foreign investors to take part in its ownership.

He stressed that ABS-CBN “abused the privilege granted by the state” when it introduced a pay-per-view channel without approval by the government’s telecommunications commission.

As he has with ABS-CBN, Mr. Duterte has personally gone after Rappler, arguing that it was partly owned by foreign investors.