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MANILA, Philippines – Senator Francis Pangilinan raised a possible constitutional violation Thursday in the House of Representatives “expedited” passage of a bill granting a temporary franchise to ABS-CBN Corp.
“We saw last night how our peer-to-peer camera has accelerated the passage of the ABS-CBN provisional franchise bill,” Pangilinan said in a statement.
“Within a few hours after his presentation, the Committee of the Whole approved [House Bill] 6732 in first and second reading, and is expected to vote in third reading early next week, “he added.
READ: The House bill that grants the ABS-CBN provisional franchise until October 2020 passed in second reading
The senator said the immediate approval of the bill presented by President Alan Peter Cayetano and other House leaders has just shown how the measures “can easily hinder if the leadership wants to.”
“We want ABS-CBN to get back on the air, as we know that its operation is crucial to ensure the free flow of life-saving information and to keep the jobs of thousands of people,” said Pangilinan.
“However, we want our courses of action to be correct, from the landing of the bill in plenary of the House to its transmission to the Senate for our own deliberation, so that we have a provisional franchise that is legally and constitutionally firm and unassailable”. he pointed.
Pangilinan cited Article VI Section 26. (2) of the Constitution that states that “(n) or bill passed by either chamber shall become law unless he has passed three readings on separate days, and printed copies of them in their final form have been distributed to its Members three days before their approval, except when the President certifies the need for their immediate promulgation to face a calamity or public emergency. “
“It is within the power of the House to correct this, and soon.” the senator noted.
“While we await the provisional franchise, we hope to address in the near future the measures that will give the network a renewed 25-year franchise to finally resuscitate its operations,” he added.
The Senate is expected to begin hearings on the ABS-CBN provisional franchise on Tuesday of next week with the House about to pass the third and final reading of House Bill No. 6732.
Under the Constitution, franchise bills must emanate from the House before they can be addressed in the full Senate.
Once approved by the Senate, both houses must ratify the reconciled bill before it can be forwarded to the President for signature.
On May 5, ABS-CBN was forced to go off the air after the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) issued an order directing the network to stop operations of its free radio and television broadcast stations throughout the country.
This developed even if NTC previously assured lawmakers that it would grant provisional authority to ABS-CBN to allow the media network giant to operate beyond the expiration of its franchise on May 4 as Congress deliberates on its renewal request. franchise.
KGA
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