House panel postpones probe on ABS-CBN land title

The House Committee on Justice has postponed the scheduled probe on the authenticity of the land title of ABS-CBN Corporation in Quezon City supposedly to prevent duplication of findings.

"[The hearing] has been postponed to a later date upon consultation and upon advice from the leadership," said Leyte Representative Ching Veloso, chairman of the committee, on Wednesday.

Veloso was referring to the probe stemming from the resolution filed by Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta of Sagip party-list.

Marcoleta has proposed turning away ABS-CBN from the complex where it stands as he reiterated the land title issue he raised during the House deliberations on the network's franchise application where he claimed that the land title was "made in Recto" — a claim denied by an ABS-CBN representative during one of the hearings on the network's franchise application.

Veloso said the postponement aims to avoid duplication "especially on conflicting findings of different committees of the House of Representatives, taking into account the complexity of the issues and allegations raised in the previous hearings of the joint committee [on legislative franchises and public accountability]."

Veloso, however, assured  his colleagues that the probe on ABS-CBN land title will push through and that relevant government agencies are looking at Marcoleta’s concerns.

“We assure that once this committee gets the go signal of the leadership, we will leave no stone unturned in conducting this inquiry and investigation over this issue,” he said.

“Additionally we wish to inform you, honorable Marcoleta, that the Department of Justice, the Office of the Solicitor General and the Land Registration Authority and the Registry of Deeds of Quezon City have already been alerted about this matter.”

The House Legislative Franchises panel denied ABS-CBN’s franchise application in July via a 70-11 vote, prompting the network to let go many of its employees in August. 

In July, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said ABS-CBN Corporation should prioritize the reconstitution of its land title for its property in Mother Ignacia Street, Quezon City. —KBK, GMA News