House Speaker Alan Cayetano has asked the members of the House of Representatives to be more lenient with Solicitor General Jose Calida and give him a chance to speak at the next hearing of ABS-CBN franchise.
In his statement during the Committee hearing, Cayetano said it would be good if Calida will have his opening statement and summary of his allegations so that ABS-CBN will be given a chance to answer all of it point by point.
“[It is] very clear that the champion of exposing the alleged violations of ABS-CBN is Solicitor General. That doesn’t exclude the other champions who are here today and other oppositors who have been interviewed on specific alleged violations. But si SolGen ang nakapag-put together nung allegations, nung proof, nung ebidensya, nung witnesses,” Cayetano said.
“[Let’s] extend him the courtesy na makapagprepare din siya ng opening statement but at least a summary on the allegations sa ABS so that to be fair to our executives from ABS-CBN at sa kanilang mga empleyado na masagot naman nila punto por punto,” he added.
Earlier in the day, Calida sent a letter to Legislative Franchises Committee Chair Rep. Franz Alvarez that he won’t be able to attend the hearing.
Calida reason out the subjudice rule saying, all the topics to be discussed in Congress are also part of his petition at the Supreme Court.
READ: Why Solicitor General Jose Calida is not attending today's House hearing on ABS-CBN franchise pic.twitter.com/OFzC0qrbY3
— Mike Navallo (@mikenavallo) May 26, 2020
“The issues raised in the petition not only affect the validity of the expired franchise of ABS-CBN, but they ultimately cast a shadow over the legality and propriety of granting the company a renewed franchise.
“Inevitably, this petition will likewise broach before the Supreme Court the issue of whether ABS-CBN’s franchise can be legally renewed,” Calida said in the letter.
Calida has also declined previous invitations from the Senate and the House when the two bodies conducted hearings on the ABS-CBN franchise in February and in March.
Prior to NTC’s cease and desist order against ABS-CBN, Calida sent a letter to the NTC advising the commission not to grant the media network provision authority.
Calida meanwhile denied any pressure from him with regards to NTC’s decision.
