- President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to block ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal again.
- Congress will not tackle the ABS-CBN franchise renewal bill until the end of the year.
President Rodrigo Duterte blasted ABS-CBN anew, threatening to block its franchise renewal.
In a speech at Malacanang, the President again lashed out against the media giant, saying he will make sure that they will not get franchise extension next year.
“If you are expecting na ma-renew ‘yan (franchise), I am sorry. I will see to it that you are out,” the president said
This is the latest in the series of attacks of the President against the Kapamilya network.
In 2017, Duterte first publicly pronounced his opposition to the network’s franchise renewal after accusing the company of swindling. Duterte alleged that ABS-CBN failed to air his campaign ads even though he already paid for it.
ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal has been stalled in Congress since 2016.
Currently, there are several bills filed in Congress seeking to renew ABS-CBN’s franchise to operate.
The bills were filed by Lipa Congresswoman Vilma Santos-Recto, Pangasinan Rep. Rose Marie Arenas, Laguna Rep. Sol Aragones, Nueva Ecija Rep. Micaela Violago, PBA Rep. Jericho Nograles, and Parañaque Rep. Joy Myra Tambunting.
Just recently, PDP-Laban Congressmen have also joined others who pushed for the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN.
Deputy Speaker Aurelio ‘Dong’ Gonzales, Deputy Speaker Johnny Pimentel, at Salvador ‘Doy’ Leachon filed House Bill No. 5608 seeking to give the Kapamilya network another 25 years to operate.
Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano has also said he has objections with the network’s renewal, but that he will make sure there will be fair congressional hearings on the bill.
Cayetano, as head of the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC), also recently partnered with ABS-CBN to be the exclusive broadcaster of the 2019 SEA Games Opening Ceremonies.
Meanwhile, after the President’s latest tirade against ABS-CBN, Committee on Legislative Franchise Head Franz Alvarez said Wednesday that his committee has no scheduled hearings until Congress adjourns for the Christmas break on December 20, which means they will not tackle the ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal bill.
ABS-CBN’s franchise is set to expire in March 2020. If Congress will not grant renewal of its franchise, the country’s largest broadcasting company will be forced to shut down.
