The joint House panels handling the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN should go after those who lied to the lawmakers during the course of the marathon hearings.
Cavite 7th district Rep. Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla had this to say Monday during the 12th and last formal hearing on the subject by the Committees on Legislative Franchises and on Good Government and Public Accountability.
"I am asking the committee to look into the deception employed by several persons who testified before the committee," said Remulla, a vice chairperson of the Good Government panel.
"Sa madaling salita, yung mga nagsinungaling po sa ating committee, alam po natin dapat parusahan ng contempt (In other words, we know that those who lied to this committee should he punished with contempt)," he said.
House members who conduct an investigation may find a resource person in contempt if he or she lies under oath or is believed to be hiding information. The erring party may be detained by order of the committee or House leadership.
Remulla in the past few weeks has tried to expose alleged violations of the shuttered ABS-CBN both of the Constitution and the network's previous 25-year operating franchise.
The Cavite solon said he doesn't want invited guests or resource persons in future hearings to think that it's all right to lie to the committees.
"Kasi lagi natin ipinapaalalahanan sa kanila na magsabi ng katotohanan sa kumiteng ito. Sana maimbestigahan natin ito Mr. Chairman sapagkat masama itong ehemplo kung papalampasin natin basta-basta pagkatapos (We always remind them to tell the truth before this committee. We hope we could investigate this Mr. Chairman because letting this slide would set a bad example).
"Kapag ito ay pinalampas natin, baka maging ugali na lang po ng lahat ng ating makakaharap na gawin sa atin ang ginagawa ng maraming tao ngayon sa cyberspace at hindi lang po iyon, sa pagsisinungaling po sa kumiteng ito. (If we let this go, everyone that we woud face in the hearings might make it a habit to do what a lot of people now are doing in cyberspace, as well as to lie to this committee)," Remulla explained.
In the same hearing, Remulla bared that he has gone to the NBI to complain of the cyberbullying against him and fellow congressmen in connection with their actions in the franchise renewal hearings.
The joint panel will reconvene Thursday to hear a summation of the cases made by those for and against ABS-CBN's franchise renewal. The solons will put the matter to a vote afterward.