- Cayetano said the ABS-CBN franchise issue is not urgent.
Netizens were aghast with how Alan Peter Cayetano is handling the ABS-CBN franchise renewal.
Twitter was filled with criticism for Cayetano’s latest rhetoric on the ABS-CBN issue.
Kapamilya broadcaster Lynda Jumilla criticized Cayetano’s comment saying Congress is ‘busy’ while they were able to pass 4 franchise renewal bills in one session.
“Yes, they’ve been very busy. They had to approve 4 franchises in one closed-door hearing last week. So yeah,” Jumilla tweeted.
Yes, they’ve been very busy. They had to approve 4 franchises in one closed-door hearing last week. So yeah. https://t.co/QzGKTYDUBe
— Lynda Jumilla-Abalos (@lyndajumilla) February 14, 2020
One netizen @DanSantos8 meanwhile, lambasted Cayetano’s flip-flopping.
Last January, Cayetano vowed to start deliberations on the franchise renewal during the first week of February, saying there will be enough time to work on the bills. But in his latest statement, he said it it would take too much of the energy of the 18th Congress to pass.
“Cayetano on the ABS-CBN franchise bills, Jan 22, “…1st week of February daw… he will start the hearings” “We have enough time. …2-3 hearings sobrang exhaustive na ‘yun” Feb 14, “Hindi ganoon ka-urgent” “will suck all the energy of the 18th Congress” 
#NoToABSCBNShutDown,” he tweeted
https://twitter.com/DanSantos8/status/1228282288397410305
Cayetano in his latest pronouncement said the ABS-CBN franchise renewal has yet to be scheduled because Congress is busy with more urgent and important matters.
He said ABS-CBN issue is not that urgent because they can continue broadcasting until the end of 18th Congress in 2022.
“Hindi [ito] ganoon ka-urgent. Bakit? Kasi hanggang March 2022, pwedeng mag-operate,” he added.
“There’s a consensus that while we’re discussing the issue, walang reason na isara [ang ABS-CBN],” said Cayetano.
The Speaker also argued that hearing on the ABS-CBN franchise will take all of the energy of the 18th Congress since there are a significant number of that favor or are against ABS-CBN.
“Kung gusto kong mag-grandstand, papatawag ako ng hearing agad…Pero is it the right timing? Tayo ba lahat nasa right frame ng mind ngayon o may ma init ng ulo pa?”
This after Cayetano previously said, it will take only two to three hearings to finish the ABS-CBN franchise renewal deliberations.
Currently, the House Committee on Legislative Franchises has yet to calendar the deliberation on the 11 pending bills seeking to renew the ABS-CBN franchise.
Committee Vice Chair Tonypet Albano said while they are taking the franchise issue seriously, they are also cautious because of the pressure from the President, from the media, and the people.
“My statement and the Speaker’s statement, and the House of Representatives’ statement and Chairman Chikoy Alvarez’s statement is that please, do not pressure us so much because we are taking pressures from both sides of the aisle—no less than the President and even networks and even journalists are giving us tremendous pressure,” said Albano.
“It is such a fact and everyone knows that we have pressures coming in from both sides of the realm—pros and cons. Even pressures from journalists like you and especially for ABS-CBN, it is normal to have all these pressures given the sides that you are fighting for,” Albano said.
“If you’re against ABS-CBN, especially the pressure coming from no less than the President and now the Solicitor General and other politicians and senators doing backdoor channeling, siyempre ayaw nila magpa-identify,” he added.
Meanwhile, here are other sentiments from the netizens regarding Cayetano’s latest rhetoric.
https://twitter.com/tapAlan/status/1228244263550386176
https://twitter.com/Dagr_2013/status/1228292362297757698
Mr. Cauldron your political style is kadiri many times dutz bastos u. You still love licking his pwet pwet! You so malaking kahihiyan to your father legacy!!
Its a fact! Without abc-cbn ur father will not sikat, you and your siblings is nothing! just a regular fil-am.
— deng_bogs (@BogsDeng) February 14, 2020
https://twitter.com/KangNailed/status/1228162119020859392
Ay! Pucha ka pala sir! Parang walang nagawa ang kongreso mula ng ikay umupo dya as Speaker. Kunting bilis naman ng kilos. Sayang yung perang pinapasweldo namin sa inyo po.
— Jwolff (@Jwolff85138212) February 14, 2020
Cayetano is busy ; like when he failed to offer enough passport renewal appointments because he was "busy" and when in SEA Games , players were stranded #NotLikeSingapore #ASEAN @ANCALERTS
— Kristo (@marcboni) February 14, 2020
