The Commission on Human Rights expressed deep concern on the reported move of the House of Representatives to “freeze” the bill that seeks to renew the legislative franchise of media and entertainment giant ABS-CBN Corp.
In a statement Friday, CHR spokesperson Jacqueline De Guia said the services provided by the Lopez-owned broadcasting firm are “beyond the whims of politics.”
“If the network has committed any violation, it must be tackled through due process,” De Guia said.
She added: “Non-renewal can be tantamount to shutting down the network. If an entire media giant would be toppled down due to a political caprice, it could signal the beginning of a bleaker state of press freedom in the country and a catapult to the wave of previous assaults to media.”
The STAR reported that House Bill 4349, which proposes to extend the Lopez-owned broadcasting firm’s franchise by another 25 years, had been pending at the committee level since November 2016. The franchise of ABS-CBN expires on March 30, 2020.
The STAR added the House Committee on Legislative Franchises did not submit a report on the franchise bill before the 17th Congress adjourned its third and last session.
ABS-CBN said Thursday it cannot comment on speculations surrounding the bill.
In August last year, President Rodrigo Duterte said he was personally against the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise as he accused the media company of swindling him.
In 2017, Duterte slammed ABS-CBN and newspaper The Philippine Daily Inquirer for their supposed “unfair” and “slanted” reporting of his administration.
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2019/06/14/1926407/chr-concerned-reported-freezing-abs-cbns-franchise-bill
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