Albay Representative Edcel Lagman claimed that the scheduled meeting by the House of Representatives on ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal would be good for one day only and was “cosmetic and inconsequential.”
Lagman quoted one member of the committee who said that the hearing is “just for show.”
He said, “I appreciate the move because I thought that finally and seriously the proceedings would start. But when I checked with the agenda and I heard the speaker say that the so-called hearing would just concentrate on the response of the National Telecommunications to its instructions to grant ABS-CBN provisional franchise, then, quoting one member of the committee, the hearing tomorrow is ‘just for show.’”
Furthermore, if the House of Representatives only decides to discuss the response of NTC to its instruction, Lagman insisted that it’s against the law under Section 16 of Republic Act 7925.
Wherein, it states: “No person shall commence or conduct the business of being a public telecommunications entity without first obtaining a franchise. Both the law and jurisprudence is very clear that the inflexible rule is ‘no franchise, no operation.’”
“All other beliefs being suggested for ABS-CBN’s franchise would be illegal and not viable. Because the only course of action is to grant the renewal for 25 years of the franchise of the network.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUkOMdoH5Js
ABS-CBN’s current franchise is set to expire on May 4, 2020, right on the day the House resumes after the Lenten break this year.
Cayetano claimed: “Yung sinasabi namang iimpluwensiyahan sila (ABS-CBN), bakit? Wala namang eleksyon e, ibang usapan kung sasabihin namin sa inyo, hanggang eve ng eleksyon, walang franchise ang ABS-CBN. With 65 years in service, ABS-CBN know how to resist politicians.”
On the contrary, Malacanang stated if the NTC will issue provisional authority to ABS-CBN, despite the instruction from the House of Representatives, it will still be illegal.
Salvador Panelo said: “A provisional authority cannot be legal because the NTC cannot give provisional authority if there is no franchise.”
