- The bill requesting the House of Representatives to extend ABS-CBN’s franchise to operate still remains pending.
- ABS-CBN executives finally speak up regarding the allegations surrounding the network.
ABS-CBN executives finally speak up amid the ‘fake news’ that circulated on different media platforms.
On Tuesday, February 11, director Lauren Dyogi posted in his Twitter account the official statement of ABS-CBN with regard to the alleged taxes that the Network failed to settle.
kailangan na naming magsalita… pic.twitter.com/RasiATxna1
— Direk Lauren (@direklauren) February 11, 2020
In the official statement, ABS-CBN denies the allegation that they have a multi-million tax debt and that the news circulating is nothing but ‘fake news’.
Below is an excerpt from the released official statement of ABS-CBN.
“Tapat ang ABS-CBN sa pagbabayad ng buwis sa gobyerno. Sa katunayan, binigyan gn Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) ang ABS-CBN ng tax Clearance Certificate noong 2019, isang katunayan na wala itong pagkukulang sa BIR.”
ABS-CBN was recognized as one of the Top 200 Non-Individual Taxpayers in the Philippines.
It’s been more than three years since the largest media network applied for its franchise renewal, yet until now, their request remains pending in the House of Representatives and there’s only more than a month left prior to its expiration.
Many Kapamilya celebrities and personalities have already expressed their worries and sentiments regarding the possible cancelation of the Network’s operations. It will create a large effect in the industry especially to 11 thousand people who will lose their jobs.
While the franchise bill is still in the House, Solicitor General Jose Calida filed a quo warranto plea addressing the nullification of the Kapamilya network’s franchise. In his statement, Calida said that ABS-CBN has committed several franchise violations and that this greedy practices must be put to an end as this has been disregarded for years.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrTqxEoQiMk
Senate Leader Tito Sotto, on the other hand, has previously stated that ABS-CBN can still operate until March of 2022 if their franchise expires, as long as there is a pending petition in the House of Representatives.
On February 11, 2020, Tuesday, the House of Representatives opened the session to tackle the pending franchise renewal of ABS-CBN just to close it again, due to lack of quorum.
According to House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, lady legislators were out on official business outside the House. Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano was also seen in a Thanksgiving lunch with women legislators on the same day.
