Sen. Ping M. Lacson advised the ABS-CBN network on Saturday not to lose hope after the legislative franchise panel of the House of Representatives rejected last Friday by a 70-11 vote its application for a renewed 25-year franchise.
"You fall today but you will rise tomorrow. Ganoon lang kasimple 'yan (That is how simple it is),’’ he explained during a radio interview.
Lacson, chairman of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, stressed that it is up to the House committee members to defend their individual or collective decision in rejecting the franchise application of ABS-CBN.
"Ang sa parte naman ng ABS-CBN, maybe kung bumagsak sila today pero iba usapan kinabukasan o sa susunod na araw o taon I’m sure babangon uli at babangon (On the part of ABS-CBN, they may have fallen today but tomorrow is another day and I’m sure they would eventually rise up),’’ he explained.
"Ang sinasabi ng iba na assault sa press freedom, 'yan ay isang opinion pero kung titingnan din naman natin ang constitutional requirement dito na ang Kongreso, ang HoR (House of Representatives) for that matter (That the rejection by the House of the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN is an assault on press freedom is just one opinion. But we should look at the constitutional requirements of Congress, the House of Representatives for that matter),’’ he added.
Explaining current legislative procedures, Lacson said the Senate could not act on the matter not until the House has transmitted its approved version on the legislative franchise and thus could not undertake hearings.
"Pero dahil nag-exercise sila ng kanilang duty under the Constitution, para sa akin irespeto na rin natin 'yan. Anuman ang dahilan nila mapa-selfish ang dahilan, talagang mandate nila at authority nila yan under the Constitution na mag-approve or disapprove ng application for legislative franchise (Since the House of Representatives has done its duty, we (the Senate) should respect that. Whatever is its reason, be it selfish or not, it is its mandate and authority under the Constitution to approve or disapprove the application for legislative franchise),’’ he said.
"Naroon tayo sa punto na ginawa nila 'yan, anuman ang dahilan, kailangan natin tanggapin 'yan (We are at that situation. Whatever is the rationale (for the rejection), we should accept it),’’ he added.
On wrong reasons advanced by critics that the decision on ABS-CBN is tied to the controversial Anti-Terrorism Law, Lacson said these critics should not stray from the truth so that our countrymen would be fully informed of the issues.
They should not adopt disinformation tactics just so to get their support. That is my plea. Don’t be afraid. Our enemies are the terrorists, not the protesters, he added.