Solon wants House to look into other broadcast companies still on air sans valid franchise

Nueva Ecija Representative Micaela Violago on Wednesday proposed that the House of Representatives also look into other broadcast companies that are still on air despite having an expired franchise.

Violago made the remark during the continuation of the House joint panel hearings on the ABS-CBN franchise issue.

In a manifestation, Violago pointed out that there are more than 15 broadcasting companies that are still on air even though their franchises have already expired.

She did not mention, though, the names of these broadcast companies.

"Gaya ng madalas na sinasabi ng ating Vice Chair Mike Defensor na dapat maging patas ang proseso natin, may I ask the NTC (National Telecommunications Commission) to make a proper action regarding this matter," Violago said.

"Bakit hanggang ngayon merong mga broadcasting companies na continuous ang paglabas nila kahit expired na ang kanilang franchises? They might also be violating labor law o tax evasion law," she added.

Violago urged her colleagues to also look into these companies in fairness to ABS-CBN and to the public.

"Sana ay makita din natin ito para maging patas ito sa paningin ng ating sambayanang Pilipino nang wala tayong kinikilingan na anumang broadcasting company. Para makita rin natin kung ito ba talaga ay kalakaran na sa industriya ng broadcasting," she said.

House committee on good government and public accountability chair Jonathan Sy-Alvarado said Violago is free to file a House resolution to investigate the issue she was raising.

"Maaari mong i-file sa Committee on Legislative Franchises kung gusto mong magkaroon ng House resolution tungkol sa mga expired franchises na nag-eere pa rin. Welcome kang mag-file ng isang House resolution," Alvarado told Violago.

The House committee on legislative franchises and on good government and public accountability began hearing the bills granting another 25-year franchise to ABS-CBN after the House leadership decided to drop the measure that would supposedly give the network a provisional franchise until October 31, 2020.

House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, himself an author of the provisional franchise bill, has said the issue on the ABS-CBN franchise has already become "so divisive" and is taking up the time even as there are more pressing matters to discuss such as that of COVID-19 response measures.

He, however, vowed to have a fair and comprehensive hearings on the issue at the committee level.

ABS-CBN stopped its broadcast operations on May 5 after the NTC issued it a cease and desist order following the expiration of its franchise a day before.—AOL, GMA News