Lagman hits Cayetano's excuse for foot-dragging on ABS-CBN franchise

Albay representative  Edcel Lagman on Saturday slammed Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano's statement that time is not of the essence in regard to the renewal of the ABS-CBN's franchise, which is due to expire on March 30, 2020.

In statement on Saturday Lagman said, "The reasons proffered by Speaker Alan Cayetano for foot-dragging on the renewal of the franchise of ABS-CBN are not so overriding as to sacrifice the freedoms of the press and expression for expediency."

Lagman also assailed Cayetano's proposed "illusory" remedy for the television network to continue broadcasting in the event that its franchise is not renewed.

According to Lagman, Cayetano's remark that the TV network can continue operations by securing a provisional authority from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) as long as the 18th Congress has not adjourned sine die is illusory.

"If the House of Representatives, which is an independent branch of government, kowtows to the repeated pronouncements of the President Rodrigo Duterte that he is against the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise, with more reason that the NTC, an agency under the Executive Department headed by the President himself, would go against the wishes of President Duterte by issuing a provisional authority," Lagman said.

ABS-CBN is being given an illusory alternative remedy instead of being granted a justified renewal of its franchise, he pointed out.

Last Friday, Lagman insisted that the renewal of the the TV network's franchise is under the sole jurisdiction of the House of Representatives.

Meanwhile, Buhay party-list representative Joselito Atienza lambasted Speaker Cayetano for his purported inability to calendar the hearing for ABS-CBN's network franchise bills.

At a press forum in Quezon City on Saturday, Atienza said he is "very" frustrated with Cayetano for failing to recognize the significance of acting on the issue which is of national interest. —with a report from Flor Taguinod/LBG, GMA News