Atienza blames Speaker Cayetano for ABS-CBN shutdown

Buhay party-list Representative Lito Atienza said Wednesday that the blame rests primarily on Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano for the eventual shutdown of ABS-CBN broadcast operations on Tuesday evening.

In an ANC interview, Atienza apologized in behalf of the House of Representatives for its failure to do its job by not acting on ABS-CBN's bid for franchise renewal until it expired, giving the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) reason to issue a cease and desist order against the company.

"Kasalanan namin ito, kasalanan ng Kongreso ito. But more important, I'd like to say squarely, kasalanan ni Speaker Cayetano ito. Pagkukulang niya ito sa bayan," Atienza said.

"He will have a lot to explain one day. It may not be today, but later on this issue will hound him because he is the one who did not do his job," he added.

According to Atienza, the NTC was merely doing its job when it issued a cease order against ABS-CBN.

Malacañang, meanwhile, cannot be blamed as well as it has no responsibility to act on franchise applications, he added.

"Speaker Cayetano was doing something else. Para siyang si Nero. While Rome was burning, he was playing music in his chamber. Kaya hindi maganda ang ibubunga nito. Congress has failed the Filipino people and we should answer for it," Atienza said.

Since the start of the 18th Congress, at least 11 bills have been filed  to renew the existing franchise of ABS-CBN before it expired on May 4.

The House Committee on Legislative Franchises, however, only formally took them up on March 10, days before the congressional Lenten break commenced, and the enhanced community quarantine was put in place.

Cayetano and House legislative franchises chair Franz Alvarez had written to NTC to grant ABS-CBN a provisional authority to operate beyond the expiration of its franchise while the House has yet to make a decision on its franchise renewal bills.

No provisional authority was eventually issued, and ABS-CBN was instead ordered to cease operations on Tuesday.

Atienza hit Alvarez for failing to take up the issue on ABS-CBN franchise immediately.

"Sabihin mo na ang totoo, ayaw ipa-agenda ni Speaker Cayetano kaya hindi mo tine-take up ito. Ang dami-dami naming tine-take up na franchise, mga issues sa Committee on Franchises," he said, referring to Alvarez.

"Yung ABS palagi na lang hindi tine-take up, para bang tinago nila sa kanilang mga attache case o sa Cabinet na ayaw ilabas. That's the reason na inabot ito nang ganito," he added.

Atienza rallied his fellow lawmakers to start speaking up on the matter and not merely resort to emotional statements.

"Hindi pa huli ang lahat. If every member of Congress now speaks up, Speaker Cayetano will be drowned out in his position," he said.

"I hope every member of Congress starts talking like this. Hindi yung dadaanin natin sa emotion, dadaanin natin sa magagandang statements pero sa totoo lang we are not doing everything inside Congress to force the leadership to act on the matter," he added.

Cayetano has yet to respond to requests from the media to react to Atienza's statement.

Alvarez, meanwhile, has said he would call the NTC in a hearing to explain the issuance of the cease and desist order, especially that it announced during their March 10 hearing that it would grant ABS-CBN a provisional authority to operate. —Erwin Colcol/LBG, GMA News