Zubiri pushes for 1-year provisional franchise for ABS-CBN

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri suggested Thursday that Congress approve a one-year provisional franchise for ABS-CBN in place of the five-month temporary authority approved by the House of Representatives.

Zubiri said the Senate could seek a compromise with the House on this matter, noting that the next five months may not be long enough for Congress to tackle renewing the network’s 25-year franchise because lawmakers would be busy with the pandemic, the COVID-19 tax. reform, budget and typhoon season.

“We will ask our colleagues in Congress if they can achieve a provisional franchise of at least one year so that we can have enough time to discuss or solve ABS-CBN problems,” Zubiri told reporters.

He said he and 12 other senators introduced a bill earlier this week giving ABS-CBN a provisional franchise until June 30, 2022. But he personally believes that one year was long enough to solve all the problems related to the proposed franchise.

House Bill No. 6732 was approved at second reading on Wednesday. It grants the network a provisional franchise until October 31, 2020.

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) ordered ABS-CBN to “cease and desist” from operations on May 5. The network’s ABS-CBN (ANC) news channel, which operates in a different franchise, continues to operate.

The Senate’s options are to adopt the House version or propose amendments that extend the provisional franchise to at least 12 months, but that would require negotiations with the House, Zubiri said.

The plan was still to ratify a provisional franchise bill before Congress suspended June 3, he said.

Drilon: not enough time

Minority leader Franklin Drilon said the Senate may not have time to amend the House version, as any disagreement could cause delays.

“We have virtually no other option but to approve the (House) version due to the danger that the version difference requires a [bicameral conference] and it may result in the bicam not presenting the recommendation before June 3 of this year, ”he said in an interview with ANC.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, who will chair the franchise hearings, said he planned to start them next week.

He said he was expecting quick discussions since network-related issues were already addressed in a previous hearing.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III warned the Senate committee to make sure there would be no loopholes that could be “a reason to attack him” and delay the measure.

Drilon noted presidential spokesman Harry Roque’s statement that President Duterte would have no reason to veto the provisional franchise bill if he did not have “constitutional illnesses.”

“Just to mark it as number one, let’s not wait for the president to sign it at the same time it arrives,” he said.

In the House, most lawmakers, including members of the opposition, welcomed the rapid passage of HB 6732, who said it demonstrated that Congress could pass a measure in an instant at the President’s behest.

“Depending on the will and predisposition of President Alan Peter Cayetano, a bill may pass too quickly or may languish in virtual perpetuity,” Albay representative Edcel Lagman said in a statement.

He urged Congress to also tackle the other 12 ABS-CBN franchise bills in the same “blitzkrieg” way.

Criticism Now Praises Alan

Buhay’s representative, José “Lito” Atienza, who previously blamed Cayetano for the closure of the network, praised him for accepting responsibility for the closure.

“It was an admission that the real responsibility fell on his shoulders, and he decided to act accordingly. I thank you for this; I even congratulate him on that because he just solved a growing national problem, “Atienza said in a telephone interview.

Cagayan de Oro city representative Rufus Rodríguez said deliberations on pending bills granting the network a 25-year license “should start soon.”

“This will give ABS-CBN time and the place to explain itself to the allegations that it allegedly violated the terms and conditions of its expired franchise, labor laws and even the Constitution,” he said.

For the party roster group Bayan Muna, a provisional franchise for a few months is better than no franchise, as it will allow ABS-CBN to reopen and allow its 11,000 workers to continue to earn a living.

“However, this should not be used to pressure ABS-CBN to bow to President Duterte and his candidates in 2022, in exchange for his franchise because this quid pro quo imposition violates press freedom,” said the president of Bayan Muna, Neri Colmenares.

In response to the House franchise committee’s order to explain why it should not be cited for contempt, the NTC apologized to Congress and the panel, saying it had decided to issue the closing order after it “rigorously examined” through various legal arguments and opinions. of “legal lights”.

In a letter, he also said he had “considered” a “comment” by Attorney General José Cálida, who warned that granting the network a provisional authority would be illegal.

“In the end, the NTC’s collective assessment was that the Constitution, laws and jurisprudence provided insurmountable obstacles to the issuance of the (provisional authority), despite fair considerations,” NTC officials said.

He was not referring to Calida’s threat to file graft charges against the commissioners if they had issued the temporary permit.

“However, we regret not notifying you, the Honorable President and the House of Representatives, and in particular the president and members of the legislative franchise committee, of our decision to issue a CDO (cease and desist order) against ABS-CBN after the expiration of its franchise on May 4, 2020, ”the commissioners said.

The three-page letter dated May 12 was signed by NTC chief Gamaliel Córdoba and commissioners Edgardo Cabarios and Delilah Deles, as well as by the director of her legal branch Ella Blanca López.

Cayetano had promised that there would be a “reckoning” with the NTC for breaching its March 10 promise to issue provisional authority to ABS-CBN and Calida for their “unconstitutional meddling” in the authority of Congress to decide on the franchise of transmission.

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