Some House members to colleagues: Vote based on conscience over ABS-CBN franchise

Lawmakers who support the granting of another 25-year franchise to ABS-CBN on Thursday urged their colleagues to heed the call of Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and vote in accordance with their conscience regarding the issue.

In a virtual media forum, Cagayan De Oro City Representative Rufus Rodriguez maintained that the marathon committee hearings on the ABS-CBN franchise issue showed no evidence that the network committed violations to the Constitution and to other related laws and rules.

"I would urge those who are going to vote to [do so] on conscience....," he said.

"Vote on conscience so that we will be voting for the 11,000 employees of ABS-CBN and a vote for the people's rights to information. We should vote on truth, on principle," he added.

The House Committees on Legislative Franchises and on Good Government and Public Accountability have wrapped up their deliberations on the ABS-CBN franchise issue on Monday after 12 lengthy hearings.

The joint panels are set to hold another hearing this afternoon where Rodriguez and Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta will give a summation of the issues discussed.

Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Zarate believes that the voting will happen this Friday, saying that the Committee on Legislative Franchise is set to meet again on that day still on the ABS-CBN franchise issue.

However, House franchise panel chair Franz Alvarez said there is still no final schedule for the voting itself.

On the other hand, Marcoleta, who represented those who are against the granting of another 25-year franchise to ABS-CBN, has accused the network of violating provisions in the Constitution and other related laws and even its own previous franchise.

He claimed that former ABS-CBN president Gabby Lopez III was an American citizen when he took the helm of the company in 1986, which he said is a violation of the constitutional provision that mass media companies should be 100% Filipino-owned.

ABS-CBN also allegedly let foreign entities own its common shares through the issuance of Philippine Depository Slips (PDRs), he added.

Marcoleta likewise alleged that ABS-CBN has not regularized its contractual workers and talents even as they are performing the functions of regular workers.

He also said ABS-CBN engaged in tax avoidance schemes by using its wholly-owned subsidiary, Big Dipper Digital Content and Design Inc. as tax shield.

But ABS-CBN insisted that it committed no violations to the Constitution, as Lopez is a Filipino citizen who is also holding a American citizenship, and PDRs are mere financial instruments whose holders do not have rights to vote and to participate in the management of network.

It also maintained that it regularly paid its taxes and did not use Big Dipper as a tax shield, and it was fully compliant with general labor standards.

Agusan del Norte Representative Lawrence Fortun said that if lawmakers will only vote on what their conscience dictates, there is a "strong chance" that ABS-CBN would be granted another 25-year franchise.

"I think we can all judge from the results of the hearings that the marathon hearings did not really yield anything substantial that would prove the allegations hurled against ABS-CBN," he said.

For her part, Parañaque City Representative Joy Myra Tambunting told her colleagues to think about their constituents who are employees of ABS-CBN when casting their vote on the network's franchise issue.

"A lot of them are employees of ABS-CBN. So I'm sure we will have a conscience vote," she said.

A total of 46 members of the House legislative franchises panel and at least 46 ex-officio members are expected to vote whether or not to grant ABS-CBN another 25-year franchise.

Cayetano on Wednesday dispelled claims that certain groups being linked to some religious organizations as well as congressional leaders are trying to threaten and intimidate lawmakers in an attempt to influence their votes.

"The House leadership would like to reiterate that each vote must and will be based on the appreciation of the facts as they have been presented by both sides during these exhaustive proceedings, as well as the application of the relevant laws and public policy," he said.

"We advise all sides to continue to advocate, but never to engage in black propaganda and fake news," he added. —LBG/RSJ, GMA News