House franchise panel to formally hear ABS-CBN franchise bills on March 10

Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday announced that the House Committee on Legislative Franchises will hold its first hearing on the ABS-CBN franchise renewal bills on March 10.

"I'd just like to announce that Chairman [Franz Alvarez], chairman of the Committee on Legislative Franchise, released a notice today that on March 10, 2020, in the Belmonte Hall, South Wing Annex, we will be taking up the 11 bills concerning the ABS-CBN Corporation renewal of franchise," Cayetano said in a press conference.

According to Cayetano, the hearing will only have three items on its agenda: Alvarez's opening statement; setting the ground rules for the discussion; and the instructions to the National Telecommunications Commission.

LOOK: The agenda for next week’s hearing on the ABS-CBN franchise bills. pic.twitter.com/CPnJD4XREm

— Erwin Colcol (@erwincolcol) March 4, 2020

"Kaya kami magkakaroon ng first meeting there, there are three reasons. One, i-reannounce lahat ng pro and anti, mag-submit na kayo ng position paper. Number two, para malinaw sa NTC na pending sa committee at tine-take up na nung committee so huwag nilang papatayan ng ilaw," he said.

"Pangatlo, ito ay gagawin ng ating magaling na chairperson 'yung ground rules. Ayaw nating maging circus, ayaw natin na maging bull session ang hearing," he added.

Cayetano pointed out, however, that the ABS-CBN management will not be invited yet to the hearing next week, and they will only focus on the instruction to the NTC to ensure that the TV network will not go off air.

He said that inviting both those for and against the ABS-CBN franchise renewal in one hearing then immediately go on a congressional break would only result to a "word war" in the five weeks during the recess.

"Ang pakiusap ko sa lahat ng pro and anti, before we reconvene in May nakapasok na ang lahat ng inyong position paper dahil si chairman ang magsasabi kung paano ang pagsunud-sunod ng mga issues," Cayetano said.

"For example, lahat ng labor issues, isang usapan, then sasagutin na ito ng ABS-CBN. Lahat ng questions sa political coverage, sama-sama, then isang sagutan. Para hindi tayong parang circus," he added.

On February 24, Alvarez announced that the panel was now open to accepting position papers for or against the renewal of the ABS-CBN franchise, signaling the start of the proceedings of the chamber on the matter.

Bayan Muna party-list Representative Carlos Zarate had earlier urged hearings on the network's franchise renewal even during the congressional break in order to finally resolve the issue.

"Para matapos na ito, kung hindi mahabol during our regular schedule na matatapos na by March 11, ang last session, then if possible na magkaroon ng hearing during the break," Zarate said in an ambush interview with reporters.

"Para by May 4, if we can have a decision to renew or not to renew the franchise of ABS-CBN, then it's better for all the parties," he added.

The TV network's current franchise is set to expire on May 4. — BM, GMA News