MANILA - House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday filed a bill giving ABS-CBN Corp. provisional franchise until October 2020, citing the need for Congress to focus on addressing the coronavirus crisis before tackling the network's "controversial" application for a fresh 25-year franchise.
"Through this measure, we hope to strike a balance between the immediate needs of the people amid this crisis and the duty of Congress to ensure accountability to our present laws," read the bill, which cited government's need
House Bill No. 6732 grants ABS-CBN provisional franchise to operate until October 31, 2020, before Congress deliberates on long-pending bills giving the media giant license to broadcast for another 25 years.
The interim license will "give both the House of Representatives and the Senate [time] to hear the issues being raised for and against the renewal, and assess, with complete impartiality and fairness, whether or not the network shall be granted a franchise for another 25 years."
"We cannot, in good conscience, sweep the accusations under the rug," read the bill's explanatory note.
ABS-CBN earlier answered questions on alleged franchise violations and tax liabilities before the Senate, saying it has not violated any law.
The bill was co-sponsored by Representatives Neptali Gonzalez, Raneo Abu, Roberto Puno, Dan Fernandez, LRay Villafuerte Jr., Ferdinand Romualdez, and Jose Antonio Sy-Alvarado.
It was brought before the chamber's committee of the whole.
The House Speaker earlier said starting hearings on ABS-CBN franchise bills would not mean an "automatic" grant of a fresh broadcast license.
The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) ordered ABS-CBN to stop broadcasting on May 5, a day after its franchise expired.
The directive went against NTC's earlier commitment of giving "provisional authority" for the network to operate beyond its franchise validity.
The House franchise panel last Monday ordered NTC to justify its cease and desist order against ABS-CBN, calling the telecoms regulatory body's halt directive an "undue interference on and disobedience to the exercise of the power of the House of Representatives."
Solicitor General Jose Calida was also accused of pressuring NTC to order the shutdown of ABS-CBN, based on a document obtained by ABS-CBN News.
ABS-CBN's halt in broadcast last week was the first time it was forced to sign off since the Marcos dictatorship. The shutdown imperils an estimated 11,000 jobs.
It has asked the Supreme Court to stop the NTC shutdown order.
The network, which reached millions of Filipinos through its television, radio and online platforms, said it did not violate the law in its 65 years of service.
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