The chairman of the House Committee on Legislative Franchise declared Thursday that ABS-CBN network’s bid to return to the airwaves is no longer feasible and should instead be taken up in the next Congress and under a new president.
Palawan Rep. Franz Alvarez made this declaration as moves to revive the legislative franchise bills for the erstwhile network giant have become obvious in Congress.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III had filed a bill granting ABS-CBN a legislative franchise covering 25 years.
In the House of Representatives, Deputy Speaker and Batangas Rep. Vilma Santos and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman filed new but separate measures proposing the same franchise application.
On Wednesday, Anakalusugan Rep. Michael Defensor called on the House plenary to take up House Bill 6732 which has remained under the “unfinished business” of the chamber’s agenda for many months now.
Authored by then Speaker and Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano, HB 6732 sought to grant ABS-CBN a provisional franchise until Oct. 31, 2020.
“Obviously, this is already moot and academic,” stressed Alvarez.
However, the House leadership vowed that it will take up HB 6732 in a future session.
“The ABS-CBN franchise issue was put to rest when the Committee, voting 70-11, rejected the network’s franchise application on July 10, 2020,” said Alvarez.
After the voting, the House panel also approved a motion to lay the ABS-CBN bills on the table.
Alvarez explained that the only possibility that the ABS-CBN issue can be taken up again by the legislative franchise panel is for one of the 70 solons who rejected the franchise bills to file a motion for reconsideration.
“Under the rules, anyone of the 70 House members who voted against the franchise application could file a motion for reconsideration on behalf of ABS-CBN to challenge the decision of the Committee. Unfortunately, there was none, thus the Committee decision has become final,” said Alvarez.
He added: “Based on my understanding from the House leadership, the ABS-CBN franchise issue is best left to the next Congress.”