By Richa Noriega
Journalists covering the Senate urged the House of Representatives on Monday to act immediately on the renewal of ABS-CBN Corporation’s franchise following its shutdown last week.
“Our congressmen led by Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, and head of the committee of legislative franchises Palawan Rep. Franz Alvarez, should immediately schedule this for a hearing,” the reporters said in a solidarity statement.
“To say that the House members in the past should be blamed for failing to act on the franchise only means that, all the more, sitting congressmen should immediately act on the application,” they added.
The Senate reporters said that “protecting press freedom, public access to timely and accurate information, and the right to a decent livelihood” must prevail over whatever agenda or interests of the congressman may have.
They appealed to the justices of the Supreme Court to “act expeditiously” on the petition filed by the media network.
The reporters also expressed dismay to the officials of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) for violating the right of the network to due process.
The reporters underscored that the shutdown of network not only adversely affected its employees, but also those in allied industries amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
“So, what are you waiting for? Set the date for the hearing. The public is waiting,” they added.
Last May 5, the NTC issued a cease and desist order against ABS-CBN after its legislative franchise expired on May 4.
The NTC directed ABS-CBN to stop operating its television and radio broadcasting stations nationwide, citing absence of a valid congressional franchise required for the network to continue operating.
https://news.mb.com.ph/2020/05/11/senate-reporters-urge-house-to-act-immediately-on-abs-cbns-franchise-renewal/
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