By Jeffrey Damicog
The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) on Wednesday, May 6, urged Congress to quickly act on the pending renewal of ABS-CBN’s legislative franchise.
(REUTERS / MANILA BULLETIN)
“The IBP respectfully urges the concerned government officials and offices as public servants and trustees to do their sworn duty well and without delay or recrimination,” it said in a statement.
Among those it asked, IBP believes Congress can act with speed on the media entity’s legislative franchise.
“Congress may quickly deliberate and independently vote on the pending ABS-CBN franchise bills as it had passed laws within days, the latest of which is the Bayanihan Law,” the organization pointed out.
The IBP reminded that it remains questionable whether Congress acted in fairness to keep the numerous bills on the network’s franchise renewal “pending for more than three years, and let the franchise expire.”
“Delay is not good governance,” it stressed.
The IBP also urged courts to “resolve related cases pending before them and those that may be brought to them.”
“Politicians and government officials may coordinate better to pursue and inspire real reconciliation as well as principled progress and dgenuine peace in our land which we sorely need in these challenging times,” it also sought.
The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) refused to issue provisional authorities to ABS-CBN that would allow it to operate once its legislative expired on May 4.
Despite the pending renewal of the media giant’s legislative franchise, the NTC instead issued a cease and desist order on Tuesday, May 5, which forced the media entity to stop its broadcast operations.
The IBP believes the NTC “may accord ABS-CBN a provisional permit to operate as it has allowed others similarly situated to continue operating.”
Read more: NTC orders ABS-CBN to stop operations