Senate reporters urge House to fast-track deliberation of ABS-CBN franchise renewal

The House of Representatives should start hearing the bills seeking the renewal of ABS-CBN Corporation's franchise following its shutdown last week, journalists covering the Senate said in a solidarity statement on Monday.

"Regrettably, the leadership of the House has said so much but done so little. So, what are you waiting for? Set the date for the hearing. The public is waiting," it read.

"To say that the House members in the past should be blamed for failing to act on the franchise only means that, all the more, sitting congressmen should immediately act on the applications," it added.

The Senate reporters pointed out that "press freedom, public access to timely and accurate information, and the right to a decent livelihood" must be upheld over whatever agenda or interest the congressmen may have.

They also appealed to the justices of the Supreme Court to "act expeditiously" on the petition filed by ABS-CBN to stop and nullify the cease and desist order

The reporters likewise expressed dismay over the NTC officials' supposed violation of the right of the network to due process.

NTC previously committed to heed the advice of both houses of Congress and the Department of Justice to allow ABS-CBN to continue its operations through a provisional authority while its franchise renewal is being deliberated in the legislative branch.

However, NTC ended up issuing a cease and desist order on May 5 after the network's franchise lapsed. ABS-CBN went off-air since Tuesday night.

Last Friday, House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano called out the "flip-flopping" of the NTC but has not announced any schedule yet for the committee hearings of at least 11 pending bills seeking renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise for another 25 years.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III said he is optimistic the upper chamber will grant ABS-CBN a franchise but added that the senators' hands will remain tied until the bills are transmitted by the House of Representatives.

The Congress only has until June 3 to hear these bills before the sine die adjournment or end of the legislative session.—AOL, GMA News