House probes sought on other ABS-CBN issues

Four resolutions have been filed at the House of Representatives calling for investigations on issues that have surfaced during the House joint panel deliberations on the ABS-CBN franchise application.

The resolutions went through their first readings during Tuesday's House session, weeks after the Committee on Legislative Franchises denied ABS-CBN's franchise application in a historic vote on July 10.

In House Resolution 1058, Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta sought a House inquiry into the authenticity of the land title of ABS-CBN Corporation following the technical working group recommendation during the deliberations on the network’s franchise issue.

Marcoleta, in his resolution, alleged that there were inconsistencies between the documents related to ABS-CBN's property that he secured from the Registry of Deeds in Quezon City as well as the titles presented by the network during the deliberations on its franchise application.

He also pointed out that in a relevant 2010 decision, the Supreme Court declared that the title of a certain land in Quezon as "null and void ab initio, considering that none of the parties therein has established a valid acquisition of the land, and therefore still part of the patrimonial property of the Government."

ABS-CBN had maintained during the previous hearing that the corporation already presented an original copy of its land title to the House.

Meanwhile, seven lawmakers including Deputy Speaker Paolo Duterte have also filed House Resolution 1040 seeking probe into the alleged loan condonation or write-off by the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) in favor of companies controlled by or affiliated with the Lopez family.

The lawmakers claimed that Benpres Holdings, now called the Lopez Holdings Corp., benefited from a large condonation or write-off from the DBP, along with other companies involving the Lopezes --- the amount of which could exceed P1.6 billion.

The said amount "could have been used for various programs that would provide much needed help to the general public and the country in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic," they said.

Senior Deputy Majority Leader Jesus Crispin Remulla has also filed House Resolution 1015 to look into the possible violations of Amcara Broadcasting Network of its legislative franchise.

Remulla maintained that Amcara violated Section 11 of its franchise when it essentially granted usufruct to ABS-CBN for allowing the latter to use its assigned frequency, Channel 43, to air its programs.

ABS-CBN president and CEO Carlo Katigbak, however, insisted during the House joint panel deliberations that what ABS-CBN had with Amcara was a "block-time agreement" and it was not a usufruct.

Nueva Ecija Representative Micaela Violago, for her part, has also filed House Resolution 984 urging all major broadcast companies to submit copies of Philippine Depositary Receipts (PDRs) they issued to foreigners and look into their legality.

Violago, during the deliberation on the PDR issue related to the ABS-CBN franchise application, had suggested that the House also check on the issuance of PDRs of other broadcast companies the way the chamber does with ABS-CBN.

"In the interest of equity, equality and fairness, it is but proper that the other broadcasting companies' issuance of PDRs to non-Filipinos be also looked into," she said in her resolution.

Atty. Cynthia Del Castillo, counsel for ABS-CBN has said that PDRs are merely financial instruments, not shares, and that holders have no right to vote and to participate in the management of ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp.

She also pointed out that the PDRs were issued by ABS-CBN Holdings, not ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp., which is the one involved in mass media.

GMA Network Inc. also maintained the legality of its issuance of PDRs, saying that it was done "in compliance with the regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and of the Philippine Stock Exchange."

A total of 70 members of the House franchise committee voted to adopt the resolution of the technical working group it created recommending the denial of ABS-CBN's franchise application.

ABS-CBN went off the air on May 5 after the National Telecommunications Commission issued a cease and desist against the network after its previous franchise expired the day before. — DVM, GMA News