ABS-CBN Chief Executive Officer Carlo Katigbak clarified that they never used former Kapamilya host Kris Aquino in the renewal of the network’s franchise.
This was when Congressman Mike Defensor asked ABS-CBN executives why the network’s franchise was not renewed during the term of President Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino III, whose youngest sister Kris was an ABS-CBN talent.
Defensor even claimed that Kris would’ve been the key for the renewal of the company’s franchise, and even questioned if the former president had any grudges with the network.
“Kris Aquino po, ‘di nyo kinausap na tumulong para i-renew ang inyong prangkisa? Galit po ba si President Noynoy Aquino sa inyo nung mga panahon na iyon?”
Katigbak calmly replied that the company had applied for a franchise at the 16th Congress, but only one hearing on ABS-CBN ‘s application had been scheduled.
“I can only answer factually, Mr. Chair, that there were no hearings scheduled for the franchise. I think it was the 16th Congress, there was one hearing, Mr. Chair.
“I don’t think there’s anything else I can add, Mr. Chair, except that we did file for the renewal of our franchise application with Congress and unfortunately for us, it was not acted on in the 16th and 17th Congress.”
In 2014, a bill for the renewal of the franchise was filed in the House of Representatives, but it did not succeed due to resistance from the network’s rivals.
After the beginning of the 17th Congress in 2016, when a bill for the network’s franchise renewal by Rep. Micaela Violago was refiled, it has stayed stagnating at the level of the Committee.
In 2014, a bill for the extension of the franchise was filed in the House of Representatives, but it did
During the I Love You, Hater media launch, Kris announced that the Kapamilya network had yet to give her any new series, adding that the network would not gamble on her because of her family’s connections to the Liberal Party.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTPQfX2psmE
“I know that their (ABS-CBN’s) franchise is at stake. I’m being so honest, diretsahan na ‘yan so why do they risk it by giving me a show especially na kahit wala naman kaming isyu ni President (Rodrigo Duterte), hindi naman ako type ng supporters niya. So naiintindihan ko kung bakit wala.”
