Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said that the issue of the ABS-CBN franchise can still be brought to the plenary.
In an interview with CNN Philippines’ The Score on Thursday, July 23, Cayetano said putting the ABS-CBN franchise to a plenary vote is possible if there will be enough numbers of solons that will agree to elevate the issue.
“Everything was done in accordance with the rules, everything was done openly, transparent, legal. So as a general rule kapag dineny ang franchise, hindi na pupunta sa plenary ‘yan. But the plenary under the Constitution has all the powers,” said Cayetano.
“So it depends on how the House will decide. So is it possible? Yes. Is it regular procedure? No…. And it really depends on the numbers din kung ano’ng mangyayari,” he added.
Cayetano’s response came after the Makabayan bloc sent a letter to Committee on Legislative Franchises Chair Franz Alvarez conveying their request for the ABS-CBN franchise to be discussed in the plenary.
The Makabayan bloc composed of Bayan Muna, ACT, Gabriela, and Kabataan party lists has asked the committee on legislative franchises to present their TWG report on the ABS-CBN franchise application to the plenary of 305 lawmakers.
According to the group, the TWG report “is full of uncertainties and doubts that it is a wonder how a conclusion was reached when the whole report was littered with terms like ‘it appears’, ‘it seems’, and a plethora of insecure statements” that’s why it should be resolved through a plenary debate and voting.
“We, thus submit, that the TWG report and the Committee Resolution, which now stands as the Committee Report, requires the approval of the House before it can be implemented.
“The Committee on Legislative Franchises may no longer tackle the franchise bills because they have been laid on the table precisely because it is now up to the Plenary to decide on the issue.
“Majority of the 305 members of the House of Representatives are being deprived of the opportunity to deliberate and even vote on the said issue, in [the] representation of their constituents who were badly affected by the Committee decision,” according to the letter.
In a recent report, Buhay Party list representative Lito Atienza also called on the ABS-CBN franchise issue to be elevated to the plenary. He said the 305 lawmakers should be made to vote on the measure as opposed to the few lawmakers from the committee level.
