Veteran opposition Rep. Edcel Lagman yesterday urged the leadership and membership of the House of Representatives to act swiftly and positively in considering the proposed 25-year extension of the legislative franchise of the network giant ABS-CBN Corp.
The Liberal Party stalwart filed House Resolution No. 639 urging the House Committee on Legislative Franchises to “report out without further delay for plenary action” a consolidated version of all pending bills proposing the 25-year renewal of the network’s franchise.
“Any inordinate delay or arbitrary denial of a franchise renewal emasculates freedom of the press,” Lagman added.
Lagman wants the proposed franchise extension be granted by Congress as he pointed out that President Duterte’s repeated threats to reject it “constitute prior restraint on press freedom.
The Albay solon cited the Supreme Court ruling in Chavez vs. Gonzales and National Telecommunications Commission that upheld the position of the late Solicitor General Francisco Chavez that assailed warnings by then Secretary of Justice Raul Gonzales and NTC against the broadcast of the wiretapped “Garci tapes” will subject a broadcast station to closure.
While over 90 percent of the House membership belongs to the pro-Duterte majority, Lagman is banking on bipartisan support for ABS-CBN’s cause. (Ben Rosario)
http://tempo.com.ph/2020/01/06/lagman-files-resolution-urging-abs-cbn-franchise-renewal/
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