Buhay party-list Congressman Lito Atienza is apparently seeking to elevate the ABS-CBN franchise application from the committee level to the plenary.
In a tweet by The Philippine Star, it mentioned that Rep. Atienza wanted to bring ABS-CBN franchise issue to the plenary wherein all members of congress of 305 lawmakers will have to vote on the measure as opposed to only a few from the committee level.
That route was also mentioned by Sen. Franklin Drilon as the “unsettled issue” that ABS-CBN can use to keep their franchise application alive.
According to Drilon during Kapihan sa Manila Bay online forum, there is a question on whether Congress’s action was completed by the report at the committee level.
He asked whether the decision of the 70 congressman constitutes the decision of the whole congress which is composed of 305 lawmakers.
“There is this issue as to whether or not the action of Congress was completed by the report of the committee recommending the disapproval of the franchise. The committee said we would not report out the application for franchise, therefore, the debate on whether or not ABS-CBN will have a new franchise dies in the committee,” he said.
“That is the end of the route because it is no longer debated in the plenary. Can the act of 70 congressmen substitute for the judgment of the 300 or so members of Congress? Under the Constitution, it is Congress, which acts on the issue,” Drilon pointed out.
He added that it is still an open issue that ABS-CBN can avail and look into since it is a constitutional question on the Congress’ mandate to enact broadcast franchises.
“As to whether this is valid under the Constitution is an unsettled issue. That is an open issue which the ABS-CBN may avail of, in order to find out what is the real decision of the HOR, not of the committee. That is what they should look into,” he said.
ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal languished for years in Congress to end horrendously in the denial by the 70 congressmen.
Since 2014, ABS-CBN has been applying for its franchise renewal but it was only in March of 2020 that it was discussed in full.
In 2014, the franchise renewal bills didn’t get passed committee level also because the committee failed to finish its hearings.
Renewal bill was refiled in 2016 by Rep. Micaela Violago but it was stalled in House of Representatives after President Rodrigo Duterte’s public threats against the network on several occasions.
And on July 10, 70 congressmen effectively killed the franchise by denying it at the committee level.
