Allies of House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco seemed not to be in agreement with regards to the issue of the ABS-CBN franchise.
This after two of his deputy speakers issued conflicting statements regarding the renewed hope for ABS-CBN’s franchise application.
Last week, Buhay Partylist and known supporter of the ABS-CBN franchise Lito Atienza said he’s confident that ABS-CBN will be back with a new franchise in 2021. Atienza said he himself is personally working to bring back the discussion on the ABS-CBN franchise in the house plenary.
“I am really confident, justice will prevail by next year.
“I’m not shying away from the responsibility and for the opportunity to come – that I’m working on – to bring back the issue for floor discussion,” he said.
However, Sagip Partylist Rep. Rodante Marcoleta countered Atienza saying ABS-CBN will have to undergo major reform first before they will be given a new franchise.
Marcoleta is one of the three main bullies of ABS-CBN during the franchise hearing.
“It’s a long and circuitous process. ABS-CBN has to go through major reforms, starting with a change in management and facilities before they are given new franchise to operate,”
Renewed hope for a new franchise of the Kapamilya network surfaced following the ouster of former Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano.
After the ascension of Lord Allan Velasco to the speakership, the majority of Cayetano’s deputy speakers were divested of their committee chairmanships and were replaced by those who are sympathetic and supportive of granting ABS-CBN franchise.
In one of his interviews, Velasco also denied that the Congress under his leadership will be a rubber stamp of the President, a critique attached to former speaker Cayetano who during his stint acted as a puppet to Duterte’s whims.
“Hindi naman po rubber stamp, mainly because kunwari may gusto po ang ating mahal na Pangulo, ibababa po niya sa Kongreso, we debate on it muna po, we’ll have people to scrutinize.
“We are allowed to ask questions, we go on debates to be able to talk about yung mga gusto nating ipasa na mga legislative na measures po. We cannot be called a rubber stamp because we do our job, scrutinizing each and every legislative measure po.”
