Congress has sole power to renew, revoke ABS-CBN franchise –Lagman

Only Congress has the authority to revoke or renew ABS-CBN's franchise, an opposition lawmaker said Friday as the broadcast network prepares to answer government lawyers' allegations before the Supreme Court.

Albay Representative Edcel Lagman said that the SC has no jurisdiction to revoke the media company's franchise as the Constitution empowers only Congress to do so.

Weeks before ABS-CBN's franchise expires, Solicitor General Jose Calida asked the high court to forfeit the company's license to operate on allegations of its "highly abusive practices," including operating a pay-per-view channel on free-to-air signals and issuing Philippine Depositary Receipts to foreigners.

The SC has ordered ABS-CBN to comment on the quo warranto petition, the same action Calida used to successfully seek then-chief justice Maria Lourdes Sereno's ouster.

ABS-CBN said it received the notice of instruction on Thursday, and will comply within 10 days.

"Walang jurisdiction ang Korte Suprema na i-revoke 'yung franchise ng ABS-CBN sapagkat ang karapatan, ang authority to revoke belongs to Congress," Lagman said at a news forum in Manila.

The congressman said he has filed a resolution urging the House legislative franchise committee to discuss the bills seeking the renewal of ABS-CBN's franchise, which expires in March.

Lagman claimed that his resolution has earned at least 90 signatures from his fellow lawmakers, including deputy speakers and committee chairpersons.

"Nabalitaan ko nga 'yung mga pumirma doon sa resolution ko ay pinapa-withdraw ang kanilang signature pero walang nagwi-withdraw," he said

Also, he pointed out that the government's quo warranto petition further discouraged lawmakers from touching the franchise renewal bills.

"Hindi makakatulong sapagkat nakadagdag pa sa pagkatakot ng mga miyembro ng kamara na 'wag galawin 'yung bills na 'yun, 'wag i-calendar, kaya hanggang ngayon, hindi pa kina-calendar," he said.

"The objective really is to prevent the renewal of the franchise and to support the president's call na hindi niya papayagan ma-renew ang franchise ng ABS-CBN. Pero that should not frighten us, we should stand behind our Constitution na nagsasabing ang may karapatan mag-grant at mag-extend ng franchise ay ang Kongreso, hindi ang husgado," he added.

With only a handful of session days left before Congress adjourns for its Holy Week break, Lagman was asked if the ABS-CBN bills could still be discussed.

"Alam mo, dito sa Kongreso, lalo na sa mababang kapulungan, kung gusto namin isabatas ang isang panukala, oras lamang, pwede, or a couple of days," he said.

"Pero kung ayaw talaga na ipasa ang isang measure, it will take forever, almost forever na hindi yan papasa." —LBG, GMA News