Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano defended the conduct of Congressional hearing on the ABS-CBN franchise.
In an ambush interview, Cayetano said he received complaints from both sides of the fence with regards to the franchise hearing proving that the committee has been fair to both sides.
“It’s ironic kasi ang umaabot sa aking complaint ay both sides. Nagco-complain yung mga anti na masyadong marami ang pro at mas malaki ang oras nilang magtanong. Nagrereklamo din naman yung pro dahil matatalas daw yung mga tanong at may time sila,” Cayetano said.
He praised the committee chairmen Chikoy Alvarez and Jose Alvarado for good handling of the proceedings.
“It’s a highly-charged political issue so although quasi-judicial in a manner yung hearing then very good ang handling ni Congressman Chikoy at Congressman Alvarado, it’s a fact na may magco-complain,” he said
“Sa akin, what’s important is navi-view ng tao at nave-vet lahat ng issue,” he added.
During the franchise hearing on Wednesday, several congressmen figured in a heated discourse causing tensions to escalate.
Buhay partylist Rep. Lito Atienza slammed congressmen who are against ABS-CBN for monopolizing the hearing. Atienza called out Rep. Rodante Marcoleta and Jesus Remulla for belaboring certain issues that were already addressed by the resource persons.
Rep. Atienza even tagged Marcoleta for brow-beating ABS-CBN’s representatives in the hearing and not allowing them to finish their answers.
That remark from Atienza caused Remulla to call out the Buhay partylist congressman for making a comment that was not “parliamentary”. Remulla also asked the committee to strike off the record Atienza’s remark.
Meanwhile, Cayetano repeated his previous pronouncements saying he would rather not tackle the franchise issue now especially with the ongoing COVID pandemic.
“For me, it’s not what the testimony is. It’s the facts that are generated because there are many sides to the issue so as you all know, I prefer not to take it up dito sa panahon ng (in the time of) COVID but you know the history, you all know what happened so the better thing for us to do is do it well then finish it as soon as possible and let the people judge,” Cayetano said.
Prior to the start of the hearing, Cayetano filed a bill that would have granted ABS-CBN a provisional franchise until October 2020.
It had already passed 1st and second reading, however, congressmen allied to the administration questioned the proceedings and voided the second reading votes, thus they agreed to instead tackle the full 25-year franchise of the Kapamilya network.
