Unless he sees threat to country or grave abuse on network’s part
By Argyll Cyrus Geducos
Malacañang assured ABS-CBN that President Rodrigo Duterte will not interfere with the renewal of their franchise to operate despite the Chief Executive’s earlier threat to see the end of the broadcast media giant.
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo made the statement after detained Senator Leila de Lima said the “personal whims of a madman” should not influence Congress’ prerogative of granting a legislative franchise.
In a text message, Panelo said that while Congress should be free from influence or pressure from the Executive Branch, the President can still step in if he thinks the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise puts the country at stake or if there was grave abuse of authority on the part of the network.
“The grant of franchise is a prerogative of Congress,” Panelo said Friday.”The President will not interfere with that prerogative unless there is evident and brazen grave abuse of its authority that imperils the very life of the state as well, as such abuse not only contravenes the rights of the people, but its general welfare is likewise put at risk following the doctrine of salum populi est suprema lex (The welfare of the people is the supreme law).”
Duterte threatened to block the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise which expires on March 20 this year. His beef with the network stems from their supposed failure to air his presidential campaign ads in 2016 even though they were paid to do so. He also accused ABS-CBN of not returning his money despite the unaired ads.
The President even advised the owners of ABS-CBN to sell their company because of the uncertainty of the renewal of their franchise, saying he will make sure that owners of the network will remember this time of their lives forever.
The Palace official, meanwhile, hit back at De Lima, saying no other party can influence her release from detention just as no one can pressure Congress on the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise.
“By the same parity of reasoning, the grant of release on De Lima’s detention lies on the discretion of the court based on the evidence brought before it, and not on the say-so of the U.S. Senators or the U.S. government for that matter,” Panelo said.
United States President Donald Trump recently signed their 2020 budget which contains a provision banning Filipino officials from entering their country if there is credible information that they had a hand in De Lima’s detention.
In response, President Duterte ordered that Americans be required to secure a visa first before entering the country, should the United States ban any Filipino official from entering their territory by reason of De Lima’s imprisonment.
He also ordered the Bureau of Immigration to prohibit the entry into the Philippines of U.S. senators Dick Durbin and Patrick Leahy who introduced the controversial provision, and Senator Edward Markey who expressed support for the measure.
https://news.mb.com.ph/2020/01/03/palace-duterte-wont-interfere-with-abs-cbns-franchise-renewal/
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