MANILA – Instead of deliberating over the provisional franchise for ABS-CBN Corp. that will last until the end of October, the House of Representatives will begin tacking the bills for the network’s 25-year franchise renewal.
House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said the Lower House decided to abandon his proposed provisional franchise due to all this divisiveness and after consulting with the members of the House, the political parties, and the regional groups.
“Arguing the fate and future of a private corporation, no matter how influential, cannot be weighed against the welfare of the nation and the well-being of the people,” Cayetano said.
“I really believe that we can temporarily set aside that which divides us and has divided us for a long time because we are talking about survival. We are talking about people’s lives and people’s livelihood,” he added.
“We find ourselves veering off the topic at the time that people need our focus,” the House Speaker said. “This has to stop. This has to be resolved. The more I say na wag muna nating pag-usapan, the more na pinaguusapan.”
Cayetano said the bills for the ABS-CBN franchise renewal will be tackled by the House Committee on Legislative Franchises, which should “immediately and continuously hold hearings until everyone is heard.”
The proposed provisional franchise was passed on first and second reading on the same day last week, but the House opted to reopen the period of debates and amendments Monday to avoid possible legal questions.
The House’s decision to start tackling the network’s franchise renewal came on the same day the Supreme Court decided not issue a temporary restraining order on the cease and desist order issued by National Telecommunications Commission against the network.
SC spokesperson Keith Brian Hosaka said justices have tasked the NTC to submit its comment in 10 days on the petition for ABS-CBN to get back on air with the network responding after five days.
House of Representatives and the Senate were also told by the High Court justices to comment within 10 days on ABS-CBN’s petition.
ABS-CBN sought for a TRO on NTC’s order as they allegedly committed grave abused of discretion when it issued a cease and desist order instead of a provisional authority to operate.
The NTC told the Senate and House Franchise committee under oath last March that it will provide the network with provisional franchise while its franchise renewal bid is pending at the Congress.
The NTC instead issued a cease and desist order on May 5, a day after its 25-year franchise expired, forcing ABS-CBN to shut down its network’s operations./PN
