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Sotto won't bring up 'bias' issue during ABS-CBN franchise hearing in Senate
By DONA MAGSINO,GMA News Senate President Vicente Sotto III would not be grilling ABS-CBN Corporation over its alleged biases in news reports once the franchise hearing reaches the Upper House.
"Hindi siguro. In the Senate, hindi siguro. I don’t know about the others, but as far as I am concerned, to me it is not an issue," Sotto said in a virtual Kapihan sa Manila Bay.
"Kasi hindi mo maiiwasan na kung minsan it is not really the company like for example, GMA7 or even Channel 5, TV5, hindi naman 'yung mga executive ang may kinalaman doon sa slant. Kung minsan 'yung mga reporter," he added.
Sotto said the alleged bias cannot be used as a basis not to grant legislative franchises "unless there is a grave violation."
"Kung may matinding violation ka, we will recall, all we have to do is repeal the bill or the law that gave the franchise pagka may matinding violations na ginagawa against the government ang isang franchise holder. Generally speaking, pwede 'yun," he added.
Senator Nancy Binay reiterated her view that personal interests should be set aside in Congress' deliberation on granting ABS-CBN another 25-year franchise.
"I guess kasama sa puwedeng talakayin 'yun (bias) but para nga sa akin mas mahalaga 'yung access to information lalong lalo na diba may pinagdadaanan tayong pandemya," she said in a separate virtual interview.
"Sa akin nga, kung sa reklamo na lang doon sa bias ng ABS diba, siguro doon sa linya ako ang number one na pipila but that is not the issue eh. Ang issue ngayon is the access to information," she added.
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"ABS-CBN was not fair to us. For me, that is a fact pero dapat nga hindi 'yan kasama sa issue ng pagre-renew ng franchise ng ABS-CBN kasi di ba parang that's between me and ABS, huwag natin idamay ang buong bayan doon sa personal issues natin," she added.
Earlier this week, some congressmen accused the embattled ABS-CBN of biased reporting as the House continues the deliberations on the network's franchise.
The media company, on the other hand, said it always strives to correct its mistakes and keep biases in check.
ABS-CBN president and CEO Carlo Katigbak also said that public officials will be given a chance to air their side on any issue involving them in the network's news platforms.
Both Binay and Sotto invoked inter-parliamentary courtesy when asked if they think the Lower House's hearings are being mishandled by their counterparts.
Binay said she thinks a different scenario can be expected once the franchise bill reaches the Senate.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian will lead the Senate panel hearing after the House transmits the bill as Committee on Public Services chair Senator Grace Poe manifested to recuse herself from doing the said task, given that her mother—actress Susan Roces—works in ABS-CBN.—AOL, GMA News