Cayetano: Hearing on ABS-CBN issue doesn’t mean automatic franchise renewal

Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday maintained that conducting a hearing on the ABS-CBN franchise issue does not automatically mean that the broadcast company's franchise would be renewed.

Cayetano made the remark amid incessant calls for the House to immediately deliberate on the pending ABS-CBN franchise bills after the company ceased its broadcast operations following the order of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).

"To those calling for an immediate hearing on this matter, including my colleagues in Congress, let me just be very clear—a hearing does not mean automatic renewal," Cayetano said in a Facebook post.

"While the deception of the NTC and the meddling of the Solicitor General adds exigency to the matter, there are still other concerns that need to be resolved," he added.

According to Cayetano, what the hearings can only guarantee is that ABS-CBN will be able to present its case before the House, as well as those who oppose it.

"The serious concerns that have been raised can no longer be swept under the rug, and it is absolutely necessary for Congress to give this matter all the time and attention it requires," Cayetano said.

Cayetano said the "uncertainties" and "doubts" that surround the ABS-CBN franchise issue will never be resolved without a series of "proper" hearings.

"Ultimately, it is only through a fair, impartial, comprehensive, and thorough presentation and appreciation of the evidence that we can clear the air," he said.

"Your House of the People will put the interest of the Filipino people first, and in these extraordinary times prioritization, fairness and timing is of utmost importance," he added.

Fourteen lawmakers from across party-list have formally appealed to Cayetano to immediately convene the House Committee on Legislative Franchises to tackle the pending bills related to the ABS-CBN franchise.

The lawmakers, who are authors and co-authors of the ABS-CBN franchise bills, said that resolving the broadcast company’s issue is as important as the other measures being tackled in the House, given the “economical and political” impact of its shutdown at a time of COVID-19.

The President's son Deputy Speaker Paolo Duterte and two other lawmakers, meanwhile, also filed a resolution seeking investigation into "probable violations" by ABS-CBN of its franchise.

These supposed violations include the ABS-CBN's operation of a pay-per-view channel  through free-to-air signals, and the alleged issuance of Philippine Depository Receipts to non-Filipino citizens.

As of Tuesday, the House of Representatives has yet to announce a schedule for the hearings on the ABS-CBN franchise issue. — BM, GMA News