EXPLAINER: What are legal grounds for ABS-CBN to air after May 4?

There's a gap in the law, but there are legal grounds that authorities can use to possibly close it. But is this more political than legal?

As Congress and the Supreme Court tackle the franchise issues of ABS-CBN, there's a more pressing question for the TV giant – what will happen after May 4?

"There is a gap in the law," said Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra at a Senate hearing on Monday, February 24.

And if there's a gap in the law, Guevarra said, one must follow the principle of equity.

What would that equitable solution be?

For Guevarra, it is a provisional permit that would come from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) but only if Congress allows it.

For opposition lawmakers both from the House and Senate, it would be for Congress to grant ABS-CBN a provisional franchise of up to 4 years.

Standing in the middle of those two opinions is a Supreme Court precedent – a case from 2003 that prohibits the NTC from giving a provisional permit without a franchise.

Which will prevail?

First let us explain the significance of May 4.

While the law that gave ABS-CBN its 25-year franchise – Republic Act No. 77966 – was enacted on March 30, 1995, it was published only on April 19. It took effect 15 days later or May 4.

That much is clear, according to Guevarra, who authoritatively told the Senate that the franchise will expire on May 4, and not March 30. This gives ABS-CBN a one-month breather and a longer lifeline.

Martial law background

Before we go into the issue of provisional permits, a historical background first.

In 1963, RA 3846 was passed into law requiring broadcasters to obtain a franchise from Congress before they can operate.

In 1974, or two years after proclaiming Martial Law, former president Ferdinand Marcos signed Presidential Decree No. 576-A that terminated all broadcasting franchises to make way for new ones. Broadcasters were required to comply with the dictator's stringent rules.

In 1979, Executive Order No. 546 was passed, creating the NTC and giving the Commission the power to give broadcasters a permit to operate.

RA 3846 and EO 546 created a clash – do broadcasters need a legislative franchise, or is NTC's permit to operate sufficient?

Fast forward to 1994.

A 1994 MOU

Broadcasters felt the brunt of that clash in the '90s.

In 1994, the House of Representatives, the NTC, and the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which said the NTC would give two-year provisional permits to broadcasters, provided that all of them apply for franchises before 1994 ended.

The MOU said it was an interim solution to the "pervading confusion in the state of affairs of the broadcast industry brought about by conflicting laws, decrees, executive orders and other pronouncements promulgated during the Martial Law regime."

Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Zarate said on Tuesday, February 25, that this MOU is actually sufficient for the NTC to give ABS-CBN a two-year provisional permit now without a need for a concurrent resolution.

However, the language of the MOU was time-bound; it gave broadcasters at the time the deadline of December 31, 1994 to apply for a franchise.

LOOK: Bayan Muna Rep Carlos Zarate shows copy of a 1994 memorandum of understanding among the House, the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas, and NTC allowing the latter to issue a temporary permit to operate to broadcast companies with pending franchise bills @rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/GyoZrvpOY1

— Mara Cepeda (@maracepeda) February 25, 2020

"In my opinion (the MOU) may have to be refreshed or replaced by a formal resolution of the House," said Guevarra.

Provisional permit as equity

Guevarra's solution is this: if the franchise is a legislative act, then why not just have a congressional resolution authorizing the NTC to provide a provisional permit?

"It is therefore respectfully submitted that the Congress, by a concurrent resolution, may authorize the National Telecommunications Commission to issue a provisional authority subject to such terms and conditions as the NTC may deem fit to ABS-CBN and other entities similarly situated," Guevarra told the Senate.

It would follow the law that franchises must be legislative, and also be equitable.

"Considerations of equity have apparently been applied in previous similar situations presented earlier, namely, among others, Smart Communications Inc, CBCP Inc, all of whom were allowed to operate despite expired franchises as long as applications for the renewal of their franchises were lodged with the Congress before the lapse of their term," said Guevarra.

2003 Supreme Court case

Former chief justice Reynato Puno, however, pointed to a 2003 Supreme Court (SC) case that says NTC cannot give a provisional permit to a broadcaster if it does not have a legislative franchise.

The Supreme Court, via a Puno ponencia, said that in the case ACWS vs NTC: "As long as the law remains unchanged, the requirement of a franchise to operate a television station must be upheld."

Explaining his ponencia, Puno told CNN Philippines' The Source: "We were unanimous in holding that there is need for a franchise before the NTC can grant a provisional permit. Without a franchise, the TV station concerned has to seize operations."

"cannot operate because of that decision by SC," Puno added.

Puno said that the grace period given to the likes of GMA-7, wherein they were allowed to continue operating while waiting for renewal, was just "mere tolerance."

"That practice cannot be sustained if you have a decision by SC, and you have a law saying you need a franchise," said Puno.

Puno, however, conceded that Guevarra's solution of a congressional concurrent resolution to authorize the NTC might work. "Certainly," the former chief justice said.

Legal or political?

But it seems Guevarra's solution is a workaround.

For former Supreme Court spokesperson Ted Te, the workaround is "superfluous."

"If Congress can come up with a joint resolution, why can't it immediately grant or extend the franchise in the interim?" Te said.

Te added that the best way would be for Congress to just extend ABS-CBN's franchise temporarily. This is also the suggestion of Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, who feared that if the NTC is allowed to give a provisional permit, it can also withdraw the permit at any time.

And is a concurrent resolution really the most equitable, given that the House and Senate are clashing – the lower house stalling and the upper chamber being accused of holding unconstitutional hearings?

"I cannot speculate on that. As long as both Houses come out with the proper resolution, whether jointly or separately, that’s sufficient affirmation for the NTC to issue a provisional authority. Better than mere customary practice based on equity," said Guevarra.

Te said that equity is resorted to only when the law provides for nothing.

"The authority is legal – Congress has the sole authority – but the solution is political—as may be seen from the House’s foot dragging," Te said.

As for Guevarra, he is insistent on his solution, but would not put it down in a formal legal opinion, a document that carries great weight for executive agencies because it would be like the government lawyer signing off on a decision.

What he could provide, Guevarra said, is "guidance." The justice secretary also called it a "signal to everyone concerned."

With gaps in the law, and clashes in the legislative branch, will guidance and signals from President Rodrigo Duterte's alter ego command the course of action?

With the future of broadcasting and the media at stake, ABS-CBN holds its breath.

https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/iq/252692-explainer-legal-grounds-can-abs-cbn-air-after-may-4-2020

Kalinga voters OK new village in Tabuk City

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – A new village called Lacnog West has officially been carved out of Barangay Lacnog after residents voted for its creation in a Feb. 22 plebiscite.

Lawyer Reyman Solbita, Tabuk City election officer, said Lacnog West joined 42 barangays when a majority of voters ratified Republic Act No. 11328 separating the sub villages of Guina-ang, Madopdop, Mallango, Lanlana, and San Pablo from Barangay Lacnog to form the new village.

The law was sponsored by Kalinga Rep. Allen Jesse Mangaoang and was signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte on April 17, 2019.

The Tabuk board of canvassers declared that 2,381 Lacnog residents voted in favor of the separation, against 51 nay votes.

The law allows the governor to appoint the first set of officials of the new village who would hold office until successors are elected.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1233261/kalinga-voters-ok-new-village-in-tabuk-city

Speaker Cayetano seeks sober discussion of ABS-CBN franchise renewal

House Speaker Alan Peter "Compañero" Cayetano on Monday maintained that the House of Representatives will weigh the merits of the renewal of the franchise of media giant ABS-CBN in "a sober discussion through a committee hearing."

The Speaker vowed that the hearing will be organized and that issues to be raised  will be made clear even before the hearing begins.

Speaker Cayetano maintained that the House is committed to impartially weigh the merits of the ABS-CBN franchise renewal.

"We want ABS to get or not get their franchise based on the merits and we can only go to the merits if we have a sober discussion through a committee hearing," he said.

The Speaker further clarified that the discussion includes "abuses" by the media of press freedom. "On trial here is not only ABS. Yes, the politicians vis-a-vis press freedom but also the journalists vis-a-vis press freedom. We all know that there are abuses on the politicians' side. But there are also abuses on the media side. So when can we think about that soberly? When can we discuss kailan mali na gamitin mo ang  media for specific business interest or for a specific political interest? When is it fake news? When is it opinion? There is so much to discuss," he said.

He added that "truth and all, management, employees, and viewers will be given an opportunity to be heard."   

"So I'm confident pag nakita nila ang takbo ng hearing dito sa House you will say, 'This is the way to do it,'" he said during a press conference.

Earlier in the day, House Committee on Legislative Franchises Chairperson Rep. Franz Alvarez (1st District, Palawan) stated that the panel will start accepting position papers from various stakeholders for or against the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN.

The Speaker also lauded ABS-CBN President and Chief Executive Officer Carlo Katigbak for expressing openness to discuss all the allegations posed against the media giant.

"It is obvious to us and we expected na sasabihin niya na ipaglalaban n'ya ang ABS-CBN and that ABS-CBN is about service. So that's well taken.  But also it is well taken na sinabi n'yang 'We're not perfect,' and that they're willing to correct mistakes or listen if there are mistakes. That's the kind of discussion we need," the Speaker said.
 
In the meantime, Speaker Cayetano enjoined the parties involved, including Members of the House, to adopt the willingness of Katigbak to acknowledge and correct mistakes.

"I'm hoping when we come back in May, malamig na ang ulo ng lahat. I advise all of us to take the mindset of President Carlo Katigbak, President of ABS-CBN Corporation, na ipaglalaban niya ang values ng kanyang organization… but yung openness to hear where they can be better. At ganoon din sa amin sa Kongreso," he said. 

http://www.congress.gov.ph/press/details.php?pressid=11826

ABS-CBN may operate sans franchise with congressional nod

By Vann Marlo M. Villegas and Charmaine A. Tadalan
Reporters

A BROADCASTING giant critical of President Rodrigo R. Duterte may continue operating pending its application for a franchise renewal, the Justice department told senators on Monday.

Congress can file a resolution authorizing the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to issue a provisional authority to ABS-CBN Corp., whose franchise is expiring on May 4, Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra said at a hearing on alleged violations of its franchise.

“Congress, by a concurrent resolution, may authorize the NTC to issue a provisional authority — subject to such terms and conditions the NTC may deem fit — to ABS-CBN,” he said.

Mr. Guevarra said the law is silent on whether a franchise holder can operate pending a congressional hearing on the renewal of its permit. “When there is a gap in the law, equity comes in to fill the gap,” he added, citing the need for “substantial justice.”

The NTC last week sought a legal opinion from the Justice department on whether ABS-CBN can operate once its franchise expires.

Mr. Guevarra said the agency was not inclined to issue an opinion when a private company is involved, adding that legal opinions usually cover only government agencies.

“Our legal opinion will not be binding on a private company, which may actually go to court to have the matter resolved,” he told reporters after the Senate committee on public services hearing.

Mr. Guevarra also corrected earlier news reports that said the media network’s franchise was expiring on March 30.

The law that authorized ABS-CBN to operate for 25 years was enacted on March 30, 1995, but it only took effect 15 days after it was published in a newspaper.

“The franchise was published on April 19, 1995. For that reason, the franchise will expire on May 4, 2020,” he said.

Several bills seeking to renew the network’s franchise have been filed in both Houses of Congress.

Solicitor General Jose C. Calida has asked the Supreme Court to revoke ABS-CBN’s franchise, accusing it of “highly abusive practices.”

The broadcaster allegedly used an “elaborately crafted corporate veil” to allow foreign investors to take part in its ownership.

The company allegedly violated the ownership restriction when it issued Philippine depositary receipts to foreigners. The financial instruments allow foreign funds to buy into the company, allowing it to raise funds globally.

ABS-CBN also went beyond the scope of its legislative franchise by “broadcasting for a fee,” Mr. Calida said. The company allegedly launched and operated a pay-per-view channel in ABS-CBN TV Plus, the KBO Channel, without regulatory approval.

Unit ABS-CBN Convergence, Inc. had also resorted to an “ingenious corporate layering scheme” in order to transfer its franchise without congressional approval, he said.

It also failed to list its shares on the Philippine Stock Exchange within five years, which was a condition of its franchise, Mr. Calida said.

The media network, which Mr. Duterte accused in 2017 of swindling after it allegedly refused to run political ads he had paid for during the 2016 presidential campaign, has denied the allegations.

NO VIOLATIONS

At yesterday’s Senate hearing, regulators cleared ABS-CBN of alleged violations of its franchise.

NTC, Bureau of Internal Revenue and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) officials told senators the network had no pending violations or complaints from third parties.

NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba noted that in the past, franchise holders whose permits have expired had been allowed to continue operating even without a provisional authority.

He noted, however, that given the solicitor general’s quo warranto lawsuit against ABS-CBN, they deemed it prudent to seek advice from the Justice department.

SEC Commissioner Ephyro Luis B. Amatong also cleared the network, saying he was not aware of any violations or complaints against the network.

“As far as the ABS-CBN account is concerned, they are regularly filing and paying their taxes for the past number of years,” said Roberto A. Baquiran, chief of the BIR’s National Investigation Division.

The broadcaster has paid P14.4 billion from 2016 to 2019, covering all national revenues except the 2019 corporate income tax due in April, he said.

Senator Ralph G. Recto said the broadcaster should have been fined if it had violated the law instead of forcing its shutdown.

“You are the regulator and you are not complaining of any penalty,” he told telecommunication officials. “And here we are talking of the possibility of closing ABS-CBN.”

At the hearing, ABS-CBN President and Chief Executive Officer Carlo L. Katigbak admitted that of the P65 million worth of local ads placed by Mr. Duterte during the 2016 presidential campaign, the network had failed to broadcast P7 million worth of ads for lack of time.

“Of the P7 million, we refunded approximately P4 million and that was accepted,” Mr. Katigbak said. “We were delayed in refunding the P2.6 million and that was no longer accepted.”

Also at yesterday’s hearing, the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) said shutting down ABS-CBN, leaving the three other major media companies to control the market, might be a cause for concern.

PCC Commissioner Johannes Benjamin R. Bernabe said 89% of the market is controlled by ABS-CBN, GMA Network, TV5 and Nine Media. ABS-CBN has a market share of 31-44%, while GMA has 34-46%.

GMA Network could end up swallowing a portion of ABS-CBN’s market share, he said.

“In other jurisdictions, an increasing market share of at least 10% raises a red flag in terms of competition,” he said. “We will have to assess it in a case-to-case basis in the context of the Philippine market.”

Meanwhile, Palawan Rep. Franz E. Alvarez, chairman of the House committee on legislative franchises, said formal hearings on ABS-CBN’s franchise may start either in May or August.

“Maaaring sa May na po ito o sa August na talaga kasi maraming marami po talaga. Hindi po ito kayang matapos agad (We may start in May or August because we have a lot of work. We cannot finish this immediately),” he said in a radio interview on Monday. — with inputs from Genshen L. Espedido

https://www.bworldonline.com/abs-cbn-may-operate-sans-franchise-with-congressional-nod/

Congress holds key to ABS-CBN franchise

CONGRESS could come up with a resolution authorizing the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to issue a temporary permit so that ABS-CBN Corp. could continue operating if lawmakers fail to renew its franchise this year, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said on Monday.

Guevarra made the point during the Senate inquiry to determine if the media giant violated its franchise. He clarified that the franchise expires on May 4, not on March 30, as was widely believed.

He said based on the principle of equity or fairness, ABS-CBN could still operate even after its 25-year franchise expires.

This can happen if the Senate passes a concurrent resolution authorizing the NTC to issue a provisional permit to ABS-CBN based on “equitable considerations.”

Guevarra pointed this out after Sen. Mary Grace Poe, chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Services, enumerated instances when the NTC allowed franchise holders to continue to operate after the expiration of their permits.

She said the franchise of another broadcast network, GMA, lapsed on March 20, 2017, but the renewal was signed on April 21, 2017.

Similarly, TV5’s franchise expired in December 2019, but the network ran under a temporary permit until April 2019.

Poe said the radio franchise of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines expired in 2017, but the renewal was signed only in 2019.

Interviewed after the hearing, Guevarra said the NTC has no basis in granting provisional authority, but it has long been the practice.

The practice was merely rooted in equitable considerations “that’s why it would be better to have a basis,” he added.

He said it does not matter if the resolution is a joint one or not. “The important thing is there is a basis.”

During the hearing, Guevarra made it clear that “when there is a gap in the law, equity comes in to fill the gap. Equity is the principle by which substantial justice may be attained in cases where the prescribed and customary forms of ordinary laws are inadequate.”

In explaining that ABS-CBN’s franchise will expire on May 4, Guevarra noted that Section 15 of Republic Act 7966, the law that approved the franchise, provides that the approval became effective 15 days from date of publication in at least two newspapers of general publication.

“Based on facts available to us, the franchise was published on April 19, 1995. For that reason the franchise will expire on May 4, 2020,” he said.

During the hearing, Sen. Ana Theresia “Risa” Hontiveros urged the network’s leadership to prioritize the welfare of its workers by regularizing their contractual employees.

“We need a pro-worker franchise,” she said as she compelled ABS-CBN to commit to improving labor practices, settling contractualization issues and providing job security to workers once the franchise is renewed.

Only 300 of ABS-CBN’s 7,000 regular employees are union members. The rest, classified as confidential employees, enjoy wages that are 50 percent higher than union members.

Jobs

Mario Carlo Nepomuceno, head of the ABS-CBN Corporate Services Department, said apart from the regular employees, other workers such as those under the ABS-CBN Foundation and the ABS-CBN Global would lose their jobs once ABS-CBN ceases operations.

“Kapag nawala po ang funding at donasyon mula sa ABS-CBN foundation, malamang po ang 400 employees ng ABS-CBN Foundation ay mawawalan na ng trabaho, ganun din po ang nasa ABS-CBN Global that transmit through its Filipino Channel abroad the various programs of the network,” he continued.

Carlo Katigbak, ABS-CBN president and chief executive officer, who was also at the hearing, said during the period of its franchise, the network delivered a service that was meaningful and valuable to the Filipino people.

“Our TV shows entertain, inform and inspire our audience, and, in a recent Pulse Asia survey, 70 percent of all Filipinos tuned in to ABS-CBN last year. That to us is a validation that the shows we produce remain important and relevant to the public,” he added.

“While our commitment to serve is genuine, we also acknowledge that we are not a perfect organization. Where we have shortcomings, we acknowledge them, and we work to correct them,” he said.

Katigbak stressed that ABS-CBN did not break the law or violated any of the provisions of its franchise. WITH JAVIER JOE ISMAEL

https://www.manilatimes.net/2020/02/25/news/headlines/congress-holds-key-to-abs-cbn-franchise/695963/

ABS-CBN answers Calida's quo warranto petition vs franchise

ABS-CBN Corp. and its subsidiary ABS-CBN Convergence Inc. answered allegations of violations against its franchise thrown by Solicitor General Jose Calida on Monday.

The network giant filed the comment on the Office of the Solicitor General's quo warranto petition before the Supreme Court on Monday, the same morning that the Senate hears bills calling for franchise renewal of the network and looks into supposed violations against its franchise law.

A copy of the comment however has yet to be made public as of this story’s posting.

Solicitor General Jose Calida accused the network of violating Republic Act 7966, its franchise law, and RA 8332, which granted a franchise to Multi-Media Telephony.

He said in a statement released on the day of filing: “We want to put an end to what we discovered to be highly abusive practices of ABS-CBN benefitting a greedy few at the expense of millions of its loyal subscribers. These practices have gone unnoticed or were disregarded for years.”

Calida accused the network of foreign ownership through the issuance of Philippine Depositary Receipts, financial tools that give foreign investors a passive economic ownership restriction in a Philippine company.

He also said that the ABS-CBN is operating its Kapamilya Box Office Channel without permit from the National Telecommunications Commission.

ABS-CBN Convergence, the network’s subsidiary, is accused of resorting to “corporate layering” for using the franchise of Multi-media Telephony without Congressional approval.

The network, in an earlier released statement, denied all the allegations and asserted that it does not violate the laws.

This is a developing story.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/02/24/1995701/abs-cbn-answers-calidas-quo-warranto-petition-vs-franchise

ABS-CBN’s franchise expires on May 4, not March 30 — DOJ chief

The franchise of ABS-CBN will expire on May 4 and not on March 30.

This is according to Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra during Monday’s Senate public services committee hearing on the franchise of ABS-CBN and six other broadcast companies.

“Based on the records on our possession, the following facts are undisputed. Number one, in the case of ABS-CBN, its franchise covered by Republic Act No. 7966 enacted on 30 March 1995, provides for a term of 25 years from the effectivity of the franchise,” Guevarra told the Senate panel.

He noted that Section 15 of the said act provides that the franchise becomes effective 15 days from date of publication in at least two newspapers of general circulation.

“The franchise was published on April 19, 1995. For that reason, the franchise will expire on May 4, 2020,” he pointed out.

The Senate will tackle the franchise of ABS-CBN while the House of Representatives has yet to act on pending bills seeking its renewal.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1232572/abs-cbns-franchise-expires-on-may-4-not-march-30-doj-chief

ABS-CBN franchise to expire on May 4, 2020 – DOJ

Media giant ABS-CBN Corporation has more time to operate as it awaits the renewal of its broadcast franchise.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Monday said the franchise will lapse on May 4, 2020 — not March 30 as widely reported.

During the Senate Committee on Public Services inquiry into ABS-CBN's franchise, he said the 25-year franchise was granted on March 30, 1995, but it becomes effective 15 days after it is published in newspapers. He added this is an "undisputed fact."

"Based on facts available to us, the franchise was published on April 19, 1995. For that reason, the franchise will expire on May 4, 2020," he said.

House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano earlier said the House may be able to tackle the bills in May at the earliest, citing “more urgent" measures on deck for lawmakers.

A total of eleven bills seeking to renew ABS-CBN’s legal mandate are languishing before the lower chamber.

https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/2/24/ABS-CBN-franchise-expiration-Senate-hearing.html

ABS-CBN employees pray for franchise renewal ahead of Senate probe

Hundreds of employees joined Monday a prayer rally for the renewal of ABS-CBN Corps's broadcast franchise, ahead of a Senate inquiry into supposed violations that the government's top lawyer cited in a move to close the country's largest media network.

The Senate committee hearing is scheduled on the same day the network responded to Solicitor General Jose Calida’s quo warranto petition to take it off the air.

House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano had said the inquiry might violate a constitutional provision that franchise bills should be tackled first by the lower chamber of Congress before the Senate.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/02/24/20/abs-cbn-employees-pray-for-franchise-renewal-ahead-of-senate-probe

House begins ‘proceedings’ on ABS-CBN franchise, asks for position papers

House committee on legislative franchises chair Franz Alvarez says his panel will schedule a hearing only when all documents have been received

After sitting on the bills renewing the franchise of ABS-CBN, the House committee on legislative franchises will begin “proceedings” on the measures by asking all parties to submit their position papers.

In a text message to Rappler, panel chairperson Franz Alvarez said this will be formally announced during the committee on legislative franchises’ meeting on Monday, February 24.

“The committee will ask all sides (pro/anti) to submit their position papers so that we can start reviewing them before we hold our hearing proper for the franchise renewal,” the Palawan 1st District congressman said.

This legislative franchises panel's meeting, however, was not included in the list of committee hearings posted in the House website as of posting.

Alvarez said the House committee will schedule the first hearing on the ABS-CBN franchise renewal bills only when they are done reviewing all position papers.

But he did not say how long it would take for the committee to go through all documents nor when the hearing would likely happen. In contrast, the Senate public services committee is set to hold its first hearing on ABS-CBN on Monday.

At least 12 bills have been filed in the House that would renew for another 25 years the soon-to-expire franchise of ABS-CBN, the country’s biggest media network. Its current franchise, approved under Republic Act Np. 7966, is already due to expire on March 30. (READ: What's taking Congress so long to tackle ABS-CBN's franchise?)

Despite calls from other lawmakers and media groups for the House to begin deliberating on these bills, the committee on legislative franchises has yet to schedule any hearing.

No less than President Rodrigo Duterte and Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano – running mates in the 2016 elections – both have grudges against ABS-CBN.

Duterte accused the network of “swindling” him for not airing his paid political advertisements during the campaign, while Cayetano claimed vice presidential candidates were given unfair air time.

These allegations, on top of Cayetano’s argument that the House needs to prioritze tax bills first, are the reasons cited by the Speaker why he had said the lower chamber would likely begin hearing the ABS-CBN franchise bills only in May or early August – when the network’s franchise will be long expired.

Alvarez insists ABS-CBN won’t close down

In a separate interview with ABS-CBN's Umagang Kay Ganda show, Alvarez said the network would not need to close down should Congress fail to renew its franchise by March 30.

He said his committee is currently in talks with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) so the latter could give provisional authority to the media network to continue operating.

“Sa ngayon po, habang dinidinig po ang prangkisa ng ABS-CBN sa Kongreso, nakikipag-ugnayan po kami sa NTC upang siguraduhin na ang network ay magpapatuloy ng kanilang pagbo-broadcast. Hinahintay din po namin 'yung opinyon ng DOJ (Department of Justice) tungkol dito,” Alvarez said.

(Right now, while Congress is hearing the bills on franchise of ABS-CBN, we are in talks with NTC to ensure the network would continue its broadcast. We're also waiting for the opinion of DOJ.)

The House committee chair argued this was done before for the franchise of faith-based station Radio Veritas.

But legal experts told Rappler it would be illegal for ABS-CBN to continue operating until 2022 under its current franchise once its expires by March.

Jun Rodriguez, lecturer on Contemporary Issues in Media Law at Ateneo de Manila University’s Masters in Journalism program, argued the pending ABS-CBN franchise bills “are not law.”

“It is the law that grants the franchise or the right. Without the law that grants the right, there is no right and therefore there is nothing to exercise. The fact that they have the intention, perhaps, to renew it is not exactly the same as renewing it or extending the right to them for another period,” he said.

https://www.rappler.com/nation/252529-house-begins-proceedings-abs-cbn-franchise-asks-position-papers

What's taking Congress so long to tackle ABS-CBN's franchise?

Time is running out for broadcast giant ABS-CBN, as Congress has yet to approve bills renewing its legislative franchise that would allow its continued operations.

On March 30, 2020, Republic Act No. 7966, which approved ABS-CBN's franchise for 25 years, will expire.

Measures seeking to grant ABS-CBN another 25 years in broadcast operations have been filed as early as July 1, 2019, the first day the 18th Congress opened the filing of bills.

Until now, none has been approved.

In the 17th Congress, it took less than 3 months of congressional session for the franchise of a mainstream broadcast company to get approved.

With ABS-CBN's franchise, what's taking Congress so long?

Quick approval

During the 17th Congress, at least 50 national and local broadcast franchises were signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte.

An in-depth look at the franchise approvals of national broadcast firms showed how quickly they hurdled Congress in the 17th Congress, except for ABS-CBN.

Particularly, we looked at the approvals of TV and radio broadcast firms GMA Network, TV5, and Manila Broadcasting Company (MBC); the religious broadcast arm of the Catholics Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP); and MBC-subsidiary Pacific Broadcasting System Inc, which relays radio station DZRH in the provinces.

Rappler computed the number of days it took the chambers' plenaries to pass the measure, from the day the committee report was filed up to the day it was approved on 3rd reading. Days when Congress was adjourned were excluded.

On average, it took the House of Representatives around 13 days to pass a franchise bill, once the committee report had been filed by Palawan 1st District Representative Franz Alvarez, chair of the House panel on legislative franchises.

GMA Network

The quickest passage in the lower chamber was for the franchise of GMA Network, the first to be renewed under the Duterte administration.

It took congressmen just 11 days to approve the measure. The committee report on GMA's franchise was filed on December 7, 2016, signaling the start of plenary debates once sponsored on the floor. Congress then went on break from December 17, 2016 to January 15, 2017.

When the 17th Congress resumed, GMA Network's franchise had been approved by the lower house on 3rd and final reading on January 16, 2017. It was later signed into law on April 21, 2017.

CBCP

CBCP did not encounter any roadblocks at the House too, despite being a vocal critic of the Duterte administration under the presidency of Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas.

When Congress took up CBCP's renewal for broadcast operations, Duterte's friend Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles was already leading the bishops' conference. (READ: Incoming CBCP head views self as Duterte's 'friend-sinner')

It took 21 days for its permit to be approved.

ABS-CBN, Pacific Broadcasting System

In the case of ABS-CBN, at least 3 lawmakers have filed bills seeking to renew its broadcast operations. But these were never taken up by the House committee on legislative franchises:

House Bill 4349 filed by Nueva Ecija 2nd district Representative Micaela Violago for ABS-CBN Corporation
House Bill 8163 filed by brothers Davao City 1st district Representative Karlo Nograles and PBA Party List Representative Jericho Nograles
Like ABS-CBN, Pacific Broadcasting System's franchise was approved on March 30, 1995 under Republic Act 7967. It is also set to expire on March 30, 2020, but its renewal was approved by Congress during the 17th Congress.

At the Senate, it took Senator Grace Poe, the Senate committee on public services chairperson, an average of 32 days or a month to get a franchise bill to be approved by senators, once a commitee report had been filed.

Among mainstream broadcast firms, passage took the longest time with the Pacific Broadcasting System's franchise for a total of 80 days or less than 3 months, as it was lumped with other regional firms.

The committee report on Pacific Broadcasting System's franchise was filed on September 19, 2018. It was later approved on final reading on January 28, 2019, passing through two congressional breaks for a total of 58 days or nearly two months.

TV5

The quickest approval in the Senate, meanwhile, was for the franchise of TV5 Network which took only 7 days, from the filing of the committee report and sponsorship on the floor on January 28, 2019 to the passage on 3rd and final reading on February 4, 2019.

TV5 and CBCP's franchise both lapsed into law on April 22, 2019.

ABS-CBN not in House agenda in 18th Congress

In the current 18th Congress, the House committee on legislative franchises has, so far, been swift in approving the franchise of major broadcasting networks. Except ABS-CBN.

The panel held its first hearing only on August 27, 2019, yet less than a month later, the committee was already able to pass its report on the franchise renewal of the First United Broadcasting Corporation (FUBC), presently known as the Global Satellite Technology Services Inc.

The FUBC franchise bill was later sent to the House plenary, where it was approved on second reading on September 24, 2019. The 18th Congress then had to adjourn session from October 5 to November 2019.

But when session reopened, the lower chamber finally gave its nod to renewing for another 25 years FUBC's franchise on November 12, 2019. All in all, the approval process took 35 days.

Three other networks whose franchises were up for renewal – Golden Broadcast Professional Inc, Broadcast Enterprises and Affiliated Media Inc, and Crusaders Broadcasting System Inc – were luckier.

The committee reports on the bills renewing their respective franchises were all approved by the House panel on September 12, 2019, passed on second reading on September 17, 2019, and approved on 3rd and final reading a week later.

By mid-November 2019, the House committee on legislative franchises was already busy deliberating on bills under its jurisdiction, yet it members continued to exclude ABS-CBN in its agenda.

As of Sunday, February 23, 18 lawmakers had filed 12 bills in the Duterte-controlled House to push for the franchise renewal of the country's biggest media network.

These bill authors were also among the 91 legislators who crossed party lines to sign House Resolution (HR) No. 639, which "urges" the House legislative franchises committee to finally "report out without further delay for plenary action" a consolidated version of all bils seeking to renew ABS-CBN's franchise.

But their calls have remained unheard, and it's not surprising. Both the President and Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano – running mates in the 2016 elections – have axes to grind with ABS-CBN.

Duterte had accused the media giant of allegedly "swindling" him and not airing his paid political ads, while Cayetano claimed ABS-CBN gave unfair air time to vice presidential candidates during the campaign.

Cayetano said the House will only set hearings on ABS-CBN either in May or early August – long after its franchise expires. Alvarez, the chair of the House committee on legislative franchises, continues to evade questions from the media too.

House vs Senate over ABS-CBN?

As the expiration of ABS-CBN's franchise looms, the ball is now in the court of the House that refuses to budge. But the Senate already decided it cannot wait for the lower chamber.

Poe's Senate public services committee is set to hold a hearing on ABS-CBN's franchise on Monday, February 24, angering Cayetano who argued it was unconstitutional for the upper chamber to do so.

The Speaker cited Section 24, Article VI of the Constitution, which states that all bills on appropriations, revenue, tariffs, authorizing the increase of public debt, bills of local application, and private bills "shall originate in the House of Representatives, but the Senate may propose or concur with amendments."

Cayetano said a legislative franchise is considered a private bill, as it is a "proposal for a law that would apply to a particular individual or group of individuals, or corporate entity, in this case ABS-CBN."

"Nagtataka lang ako kay Senator Grace Poe at sa mga senador, kapag cha-cha (charter change) pinag-usapan, ayaw nila. 'Wag daw muna pag-usapan, pero they feel free to violate the Constitution. Ano ba sabi sa Constitution? Sa’n ba mag-uumpisa ang prangkisa: sa House o sa Senate?" the Speaker said in an ambush interview in Iba, Zambales on February 24.

(I'm wondering why Senator Grace Poe and the other senators don't want to talk about charter change. They don't want to talk about it, but they feel free to violate the Constitution. What does the Constitution say? Where do franchises emanate from: the House or the Senate?)

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, however, said they are not going to be violating the Constitution if the said hearing pushes through on Monday.

The 4-time Senate president cited jurisprudence from the Tolentino v. Secretary of Finance case, where the High Court ruled the Constitution does not bar the Senate from hearing a proposed measure "in anticipation of its receipt of the bill from the House.”

"The House of Representatives is aware of this practice. Since time immemorial, we have been hearing the budget simultaneously with the House of Representatives only that we do not debate on this on the floor until we receive the House version," Drilon said in a statement on Sunday.

"Our former colleagues who are now members of the lower chamber knew about this practice and they participated in hearings of this nature when they were in the Senate. They did not say it was unconstitutional then," he added.

Poe shared the same sentiments, arguing that the Senate kicked off its own hearings in the past on the General Appropriations Act (GAA) and the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law even without the House transmitting its approved version yet.

What would be unconstitutional for Poe to do, senators said, is filing a committee report on ABS-CBN's franchise before the House passes its counterpart measure. Poe said she would only be able to report the findings of her committee, once the House transmits its version. February 24's hearing, in effect, pressures the House to start its own soon.

Without a renewed permit, it would be illegal for ABS-CBN to continue its broadcast operations after March 30, contrary to what Cayetano and other congressmen have said. If the House continues to sit on the media giant's 25-year franchise renewal, ABS-CBN's only hope is Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) No. 11, which seeks to extend the media giant's broadcast permit by more than two years or on December 31, 2022.

SJR 11 would still have to be adopted by both chambers of Congress before it goes on break on March 14. But the resolution would only be effective if Duterte decides to sign it once it reaches his office. Should the President decide to approve or veto the measure, a two-thirds vote in both chambers is needed to override it.

It remains to be seen if the battle for ABS-CBN's franchise renewal would also turn into a fight betwen the two houses of Congress. – Rappler.com

https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/in-depth/252401-congress-franchise-bills-approval-period

Ryle to refocus priorities if ABS-CBN loses franchise

For Ryle Santiago, it’s heartening to see his fellow celebrities and other industry insiders set aside network wars amid threats to shut down ABS-CBN.

“We’re thankful for the support of those from other networks. Seeing them rallying behind us and the company is heartening. After all, we’re all part of one industry,” he told the Inquirer at the blessing of Mega One building, which houses Megasoft—a hygiene product brand the young actor endorses.

The renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise, which is set to expire by the end of March, currently hangs in the balance. The Kapamilya network is also facing legal troubles related to the Office of the Solicitor General’s quo warranto petition, asking the Supreme court to stop ABS-CBN’s operations.

“I have been working for the network for six years—many more others have been there for much longer. I hope we all stay strong. ’Di tayo pababayaan ng Diyos. I would like to believe that, no matter what the government’s decision is, we will all be fine,” Ryle said. “We need prayers. Kapit lang.”

The 21-year-old Star Magic talent is a mainstay in the noontime variety program, “It’s Showtime,” as part of the all-male dance group Hashtags. “Of course, I stand to lose a lot, because I appear on that show every day. And I have been pouring my efforts on that show all these years,” Ryle pointed out.

But if the worst happens, Ryle is hoping he could take it all in stride. “Maybe I can focus on other things here in show biz. I have already established a YouTube channel, I guess I could continue using that,” he surmised.

As part of his endorsement duties, Ryle participates in Megasoft’s “School is Cool” education advocacy program, which has so far toured 85 schools around the country. Aside from performing for students, he also engages in talks about different topics and issues concerning the youth.

“We get to inspire other people. Not to be cheesy, but it’s a great feeling seeing students waiting for you … telling you that they look up to you,” said Ryle, who’s the son of actress Sherilyn Reyes. “Doing this initiative also helps me hone my performance skills—dancing, public speaking.”

Ryle also related that he’s in talks with a nonprofit organization advocating for the protection of boys or young men from abuse. “Nothing is final, but they’re interested in getting me as an ambassador,” he said. “Young boys also experience violence and abuse, and it will be great if there are people who can guide them.” INQ

https://entertainment.inquirer.net/365690/ryle-to-refocus-priorities-if-abs-cbn-loses-franchise

People power for press freedom

From April to August last year, President Rodrigo Duterte had signed franchise laws granted by the 17th Congress on ten radio and television stations extending them for 25 years. Of the ten companies, six were broadcasting stations that were allowed to construct, install, establish, operate, and maintain radio and television stations in the country.

But as of October last year, The STAR counted as many as 17 bills that President Duterte allowed to lapse into law out of 170 the total of legislative measures enacted during the last five months of the 17th Congress. The Chief Executive chose not to sign franchise bills for the 16 broadcasting and telecommunications entities and just let them lapsed into law.

 The TV5 and CBCP Network automatically got their franchises renewed last year after their respective bills lapsed into laws in April. The laws that covered the renewal of TV5 and CBCP were released by Malacañang without the signature of the President only in July of the same year. The two Congress-approved bills merely bore the official stamp of the Office of the President certifying each has lapsed into law.

No explanation was given by Malacañang as to why the President didn’t sign the bills and let it lapsed into law.

The President’s explanation is not mandatory though. For a approved or vetoed Congress-approved legislation, however, normally an explanation why the President rejected it is attached to the enrolled bill.

Unfortunately for ABS-CBN, its franchise bill remains pending before the 18th Congress. Actually, the Kapamilya network’s franchise renewal bill has been stalled since 2016 when this was first filed in the 17th Congress. Its rival network GMA-7 also had a franchise renewal bill that got signed into on the next year.

On July 23, 2019, Nueva Ecija 2nd District Rep. Micaela Violago refiled the bill that will extend ABS-CBN’s franchise for another 25 years. There are 10 other bills authored by different Congressmen on the ABS-CBN franchise renewal pending at the House committee on public services chaired by Palawan Rep. Franz Alvarez.

And also, under our 1987 Constitution, all franchise bills must emanate from the House of Representatives.

The presidential pique against ABS-CBN started when the former Davao City Mayor first complained about the network’s not airing his political ad during the 2016 election campaign but did not allegedly refund the payment for the unaired TV ad.

Allegedly due to President Duterte’s public pronouncements against the Lopez-owned TV-radio-cable network, the ABS-CBN franchise bill was not acted upon during the 17th Congress composed largely of pro-administration lawmakers. Headed by then Speaker and Davao Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez, chief ally of Mayor Duterte, House members were reportedly issued marching orders not to touch the ABS-CBN franchise bill.

But while President Duterte has vowed not to sign into law franchise renewal of the ABS-CBN, take note the Chief Executive has never uttered any declarative statement: “I will approve or veto it.”

One of the ten companies that got their signed franchise bill signed into law last year by President Duterte is owned by erstwhile businessman Ramon Jacinto. A campaign supporter of the former Davao City Mayor, he was appointed as presidential adviser on telecom. Signed under Republic Act (RA) No. 11414, the franchise of the Jacinto family-owned Rajah Broadcasting Network TV-radio station will continue for another 25 years. Incidentally, Jacinto’s radio station, which runs on frequency modulation DzRJ-FM, played an important role during the 1986 People Power Revolution, or EDSA-1 for brevity’s sake.

As we mark the 34th anniversary of EDSA-1 this week, we pause to remember the heroics of the late TV personality June Keithley who used the government-sequestered RJ-FM facility from its office and tower station atop the Jacinto-owned J & T Building in Sta. Mesa, Manila and turned it into “Radyo Bandido.” Keithley repeatedly aired the taped message of the late Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin who prodded Filipinos to unite in “people power” and help protect the rebel soldiers inside Camps Aguinaldo and Crame along EDSA during those fateful days.

After the Marcos ouster during the EDSA-1, the Jacinto-owned companies were among the sequestered private business empires that were subsequently returned to their respective owners when the late president Corazon Aquino took office at Malacañang. And these also included the Lopez-owned companies like the Meralco, the ABS-CBN TV network etc. And the rest, as we say, is history.

Fast forward. Incumbent Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano has come out publicly that they intend to pass upon the ABS-CBN franchise bill. Although the franchise of the network is ending this March 30, Cayetano was quoted saying “objectively” the Lower House could only take it up by August this year when they are able to clear the legislative mills with approval of the more priority bills.

On the other hand, Senate president Vicente Sotto III clarified the Senate committee on public services chaired by Sen. Grace Poe will conduct today their public hearing on the proposed bill on the amendments of the Public Services Law under Commonwealth Act No.146, and that ABS-CBN franchise issue falls under that concern.

Hence, Sotto explained, the Senate public hearing will not touch on the approval of franchise renewal of the ABS-CBN that is still pending at the Lower House. Neither, the Senate will commit sub judice on the quo warranto petition filed by the Office of the Solicitor General two weeks ago before the Supreme Court against the alleged franchise violations of ABS-CBN.

Meanwhile, TV-movie stars and other popular personalities have been holding their own “people power” candlelight rallies for press freedom at ABS-CBN headquarters at Mother Ignacia St. in Quezon City to dramatize the importance of extending the network’s franchise bill.

https://www.philstar.com/opinion/2020/02/24/1995524/people-power-press-freedom

Senators probe ABS-CBN franchise as Calida moves for network’s shutdown

ABS-CBN network executives are set to appear before a Senate committee on Monday in a highly anticipated hearing seen as a pushback on the Philippine government’s move to close down the country’s largest media network, as congressmen continue to sit on proposals to renew its broadcast franchise.

The inquiry is scheduled on the same day the network is due to respond to Solicitor General Jose Calida’s quo warranto petition to take it off the air for supposed franchise violations.

The Supreme Court also gave ABS-CBN until Monday to answer Calida’s “very urgent motion” to gag the network and “persons acting on (its) behalf,” a sweeping plea that media and human rights groups described as an assault on press freedom.

“Revoking or not renewing a broadcast franchise becomes a different matter altogether because that constitutes an infringement of the first-ranked democratic freedom — freedom of expression,” said journalist Vergel Santos, former chairman of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility.

Malacañang has distanced President Duterte from the petition of Calida, who serves as the government’s top lawyer.

Duterte earlier promised to “make sure” that ABS-CBN would be out of broadcast, citing complaints over its coverage of his administration and unaired political ads in 2016. He later told its owners to “just sell” the business.

Calida has been invited to Monday’s public services committee’s hearing where he’s expected to be questioned on his Supreme Court petition to invalidate ABS-CBN’s existing franchise.

Several House leaders have criticized his quo warranto petition, insisting that Congress has the exclusive power to grant, repeal or renew franchises.

Sen. Grace Poe admitted that Calida’s gag order motion prompted her public services committee to push the hearing ahead of schedule “to be on the safe side.”

“That way, there’s no conflict and the resource persons won’t be apprehensive about giving their statements,” she told ABS-CBN News.

NO PRESSURE

Poe said the inquiry was not meant to pressure the House of Representatives to act on at least 11 ABS-CBN bills still stuck in its committee on legislative franchises.

The network’s franchise will expire on March 30 but Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said deliberations were “not that urgent,” insisting the network could still operate until March 2022.

Cagayan De Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez on Sunday said Cayetano should now green-light deliberations on ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal, saying “we are left behind because we do not act.”

Rodriguez, an administration congressman pushing for a fresh 25-year franchise for ABS-CBN, insisted that the House would not be “susceptible to any pressure from anybody, not even the Senate.”

But he was convinced that the Senate hearing was “being done precisely to tell the whole world that what Calida has done is not correct.”

“Since the Senate is a part of Congress, it has all the right to really hear it and tell Calida that it is not a proper thing for him to file that (quo warranto petition) in the Supreme Court,” Rodriguez told ABS-CBN News on Sunday.

REST EASY

Poe said the hearing was meant to clarify if ABS-CBN could still operate after March 30, an assurance earlier given by Cayetano and Senate President Vicente Sotto III as a matter of practice over pending franchise renewal applications.

“We’re not pressuring the House,” she said, noting that an extension put on paper would put pressure off Congress to act on the franchise renewal application before next month’s deadline.

A commitment from the National Telecommunications Commission for an extension would also mean that the 11,000 workers of ABS-CBN Corp. and its subsidiaries “can rest easy,” she said.

As of Sunday afternoon, she said Calida was yet to confirm his attendance. But Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra and NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba had both informed the committee that they would show up.

Poe described Calida’s presence in the hearing as “crucial,” citing his objections to ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal.

ABUSES

Calida’s alleged that ABS-CBN Corp. “abused” its free-TV franchise by introducing the pay-per-view feature Kapamilya Box Office (KBO) without NTC approval.

“This warrants the revocation of ABS-CBN Corp.’s legislative franchise,” he said in his petition.

ABS-CBN replied in a statement: “All our broadcast offerings, including KBO, have received the necessary government and regulatory approvals and are not prohibited by our franchise.”

The KBO feature allows subscribers to watch select movies for a fee of P30 or P99.

Calida also claimed that ABS-CBN Corp. violated the constitutional ban on foreign ownership in mass media by issuing Philippine Depositary Receipts (PDRs) to foreigners through ABS-CBN Holdings.

Foreigners may buy into PDRs and may be entitled to dividends. But they are not considered shareholders with voting rights in a company.

A former Philippine Stock Exchange president likened it to betting on a horse in a race where a person gets a share of the winnings without necessarily owning the triumphant horse.

What are PDRs? Ex-stock exchange chief says it's like betting on a horse

LAYERING

Calida also accused ABS-CBN Convergence Inc., ABS-CBN’s telecommunications subsidiary, of violating the law by making use of the original franchise of the company it had acquired without congressional approval, using an “intricate web of corporate layering.”

“The government is being hoodwinked as it is made to believe that the finite and limited spectrum had been allocated to those that are worthy to be accorded the privilege, when in truth, it is only being utilized by one corporation, ABS-CBN,” he said.

The subsidiary’s failure to publicly offer at least 30 percent of its outstanding capital stock within 5 years since its operations began was also a ground to have its franchise revoked, he said.

In a statement, ABS-CBN Corp. said the acquisition of ABS-CBN  Convergence was “undertaken under the same law and structures that have been utilized by other telecommunications companies.”

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/23/20/senators-probe-abs-cbn-franchise-as-calida-moves-for-networks-shutdown

EXPLAINER: Can ABS-CBN operate past its franchise expiration date?

(UPDATED) ABS-CBN is advised to seek provisional authority from the NTC to extend their franchise to 2022

(UPDATED) – It's illegal for ABS-CBN to continue to operate until 2022 under its current franchise, contrary to what lawmakers like Isabela Representative and legislative franchise committee vice chairman Tonypet Albano and House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano have said.

Albano was quoted in reports saying: “We want to allay the fears of the public and the [ABS-CBN] employees, ABS-CBN will not cease to exist unless Congress acts on it. ABS-CBN may actually continue to legally operate under its existing franchise until the end of 18th Congress or until that franchise is formally terminated [by Congress before 18th Congress ends].” The 18th Congress ends in 2022.

However, it's unclear if this is valid under the law or not. Lawyer and former Supreme Court spokesman Ted Te said that the rules of Congress don't provide for this situations like this, wherein a franchise can continue if a bill that has been filed for its renewal wasn't granted immediately. "I'm not too sure if there's a specific rule governing that or just merely tradition," he said.

In a separate interview, Jun Rodriguez, lecturer on Contemporary Issues in Media Law at Ateneo’s Masters in Journalism program, was certain that the network giant has no right to operate after the lapse of its 25-year franchise on March 30 regardless of the pending bills.

“[The bills pending in Congress are] irrelevant,” said Rodriguez.

“The bills are not law. It is the law that grants the franchise or the right. Without the law that grants the right, there is no right and therefore there is nothing to exercise. The fact that they have the intention, perhaps, to renew it is not exactly the same as renewing it or extending the right to them for another period,” Rodriguez continued.

‘Nothing to extend’

Albano and Cayetano had also advised ABS-CBN to seek provisional authority before the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to operate past March 30, but this would also be impossible, said Rodriguez.

The certificate the commission gives broadcasting companies can only be extended if the franchise, granted by Congress, is extended.

Article VI, Section 16 of Republic Act 7925 or the “Public Telecommunications Policy Act of the Philippines” states, “No person shall commence or conduct the business of being a public telecommunications entity without first obtaining a franchise.”

It also says: “A [certificate of public convenience and necessity (CPCN)] expiring at the same time as the franchise shall be deemed to have been renewed for the same term if the franchise itself is also renewed or extended.” A CPCN is the principal license that the NTC issues to telecommunications companies for operation.

“The certificate of public convenience and necessity, which is issued by the executive department, is a way to implement [the law],” Rodriguez said. “So in that context, in that situation, what is there to implement, again, if there’s no franchise?”

Te echoed the sentiment: "As far as the provisional authority [is concerned], I would suppose there would have to be first a franchise that is valid, meaning, unexpired, and then extended...But if the franchise lapses, it means there's nothing to extend. So I'm really not sure exactly what the basis is for [Albano's and Cayetano's] statement."

'Practically impossible'

Rodriguez added because the NTC is part of the executive department, it may be even more difficult for the commission to extend the franchise past March 30. He explained: “The President has overall supervision and control over executive agencies and offices....So legally, it’s not possible, I think, but practically it’s even more impossible.”

The renewal has been strongly opposed by President Rodrigo Duterte, who accused the network of not running advertisements he paid for during the 2016 presidential campaign.

On December 30, 2019, Duterte said that it's unlikely for the franchise to be renewed and that the network should be sold instead. In the past, he also accused the network of “publishing trash,” trying to “swindle” him, and of being “sons of bitches.”

Groups like the National Union of Journalists and Reporters Without Borders have called on Congress to act against what they slammed as a threat to press freedom.

"The repercussion right now, I think, even in the lead up to the hearing in Congress, is really the threat, because the entity becomes vulnerable because of that threat of non-renewal," Te said in a mix of English and Filipino. "It's really more that, than the actual non-renewal, or the actual renewal."

Joint resolution

It is still possible for the franchise to be extended, but not because of pending bills or through the NTC but through the joint resolution filed by Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on February 17.

Senate Joint Resolution No. 11, seeks to extend ABS-CBN Corporation's franchise to December 31, 2022, which, Drilon said, would buy Congress more time to study the 12 pending bills seeking its renewal.

Aside from the bills, the joint resolution highlights other factors that would require more time for Congress to decide: on February 10, Solicitor General Jose Calida filed a quo warranto petition to void the franchise altogether and on February 12, Senator Grace Poe filed Proposed Senate Resolution (PS Res) No. 322 to determine ABS-CBN's compliance with the terms and conditions of its franchise.

Joint Resolution No. 11 will be discussed on Monday, February 24, along with PS Res No. 322.

If they want ABS-CBN's franchise to be extended, lawmakers must act quickly to pass the Joint Resolution as the 1st regular session of the 18th Congress ends on March 14 – a little over two weeks away. The resolution will also need to be signed by President Duterte to have the effect of law.

Is there enough time?

https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/iq/252445-explainer-abs-cbn-operate-past-franchise-expiration-date

Ilang Pinoy nakaabang sa Senate hearing ukol sa prangkisa ng ABS-CBN

Isang araw bago ang pagharap ng mga opisyal ng ABS-CBN sa hearing ng Senate Committee on Public Services upang liwanagin ang mga isyu sa prangkisa ng kompanya, nagbigay-suporta naman ang ilang Pinoy na tumatangkilik sa network.

"Siyempre para marinig namin 'yung mga ano nila, kung sino ang mali doon... Ano ba ang ibig sabihin nila na tatanggalin [ang franchise], at bakit? Bakit isasara eh wala namang mali," ani Luz Castor, isang vendor.

Araw-araw libangan ni Castor ang panonood ng ABS-CBN shows.

Sa mahigit 20 taon niyang pagtitinda ng gulay, ito ang pumapawi ng kaniyang pagod.

Ang mga tricycle driver na nakausap ng ABS-CBN News, tututok din daw sa hearing sa Lunes.

"Siyempre bilang isang mamamayan kailangan natin malaman 'yung kontrata nila kung legal ba o illegal... Mahalaga ba na mayroong ABS-CBN? Oo naman para hindi lang isang channel ang napapanood namin," giit ni Christopher Pardo, tsuper.

"Babantayan ko 'yan kasi ano ko talaga 'yung channel 2 simula pagkabata," ayon naman kay Armando Rufo, tsuper din.

Sa kabila ng batikos, partikular na ni House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, nanindigan ang Senado na may kapangyarihan silang duminig ng malalaking isyu sa bansa.

"Paano natin malalaman ang katotohanan kung hindi makakapagsalita ang mga 'yun? Hindi ba mas maganda para malaman kung talaga bang may kasalanan o wala," ani Sen. Grace Poe, chair ng komiteng didinig sa isyu.

Higit 11 panukala para sa renewal ng ABS-CBN franchise ang nakatengga ngayon sa Kamara. —Ulat ni Isay Reyes, ABS-CBN News

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/23/20/ilang-pinoy-nakaabang-sa-senate-hearing-ukol-sa-prangkisa-ng-abs-cbn

Senators insist Senate can conduct hearings on ABS-CBN franchise

By Hannah Torregoza

At least two senators on Sunday insisted that there was no violation of the Constitution with respect to the Senate public services committee’s scheduled hearing on the issues surrounding the franchise of ABS-CBN Corporation.

The hearing, initiated by Sen. Grace Poe, head of the Senate Public Services panel, will be held Monday, February 24.

Sen. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara said Section 24 of the 1987 Constitution, or what is known as the “origination clause”, provides that all private bills, such as the approval of franchises, “shall originate exclusively in the House of Representatives.”

The same provision in the Constitution also includes appropriation, revenue or tariff bills, bills authorizing increase of the public debt and bills of local application.

“It has been the long-standing practice of the Senate to hear such bills while waiting for the House of Representatives to act on these and transmit them to the Senate for its concurrence,” Angara said in a statement.

“Matagal na ginagawa ng Senado na simulan ang pagdinig sa mga mahahalagang panukala tulad ng ating national budget bago pa man ito ipadala ng mababang kapulungan (The Senate has long been doing hearing important measures, like the national budget, before it is sent to us by the lower chamber),” he said.

“Taon-taon natin ito ginagawa upang mapabilis ang proseso ng pag apruba, lalo na ng mga napakahalagang batas tulad ng GAA, ganun din sa mga tax bills (We have been doing this yearly to ensure a faster process in approving bills, especially with significant laws like the General Appropriations Act (GAA) and also tax bills),” Angara pointed out.

Citing the case of Tolentino v. Secretary of Finance, Angara said the origination clause in the Constitution merely requires the Senate, acting as a body, to withhold any action on a private bill still pending in the House of Representatives.

“The hearing by the committee is only meant to facilitate the process and in the case of the franchise of ABS-CBN, to hear the issues being raised against the network so that when the time comes, we as senators would already have a better grasp of the matter,” he said.

“No action will be made in plenary until such time that the House of Representatives acts on the bill and sends it over to us,” he said.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, for his part said he was disappointed to hear the House leadership say that the Senate’s move to hear the ABS-CBN’s franchise was “unconstitutional”.

“We are saddened by the accusation. That is not true. There is nothing wrong and unconstitutional if we hear the franchise of ABS-CBN,” Drilon said, reiterated that nothing is unconstitutional with the Senate’s decision to hear the network’s franchise, which is set to expire on March 30.

Also citing the case of Tolentino v. Secretary of Finance (G.R. No. 115455), the minority chief said the Constitution does not prohibit the Senate from hearing a proposed measure “in anticipation of its receipt of the bill from the House.”

Drilon pointed out the Senate has done the same practice with the national budget and other revenue measures, hearing pending proposals while waiting for the House version.

“The House of Representatives is aware of this practice. Since time immemorial, we have been hearing the budget simultaneously with the House of Representatives only that we do not debate on this on the floor until we receive the House version,” he further explained.

“Our former colleagues who are now members of the lower chambers knew about this practice and they participated in hearings of this nature when they were in the Senate. They did not say it was unconstitutional then,” Drilon pointed out.

With only seven session days left before the adjournment of Congress on March 11, the senator said taking up the franchise of ABS-CBN was made even more necessary.

He also stressed that the Senate hearing should also rule on the need to extend the validity of the franchise of ABS-CBN, maintaining that the broadcasting network cannot operate without a franchise.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2020/02/23/senators-insist-senate-can-conduct-hearings-on-abs-cbn-franchise/

TIMELINE: ABS-CBN franchise renewal

(UPDATE) - The Senate on Monday is set to tackle issues hounding the broadcast franchise of ABS-CBN Corp., the Philippines' largest media network.

Here are key events in the network's bid to renew its license to operate:

March 30, 1995

- The franchise of ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp. was approved through Republic Act No. 7966, with an expiration date of March 30, 2020.

June 11, 2016

- ABS-CBN said it had opted for an early renewal application in September 2014 and "went through the normal legislative process." But it later withdrew its application "due to time constraints."

April 27, 2017

- President Rodrigo Duterte, in a chance interview, said he would formally block the renewal of ABS-CBN's franchise after accusing the company of "swindling."

Duterte said the network failed to air his campaign ad before the 2016 polls and then failed to return the money.

December 3, 2019

- The President told ABS-CBN not to expect a franchise renewal, saying he would "see to it that you're out."

December 30, 2019

- Duterte, in a speech in Cotabato, told ABS-CBN management to just sell the company.

February 10, 2020

- The Office of the Solicitor General questioned the current franchise of ABS-CBN Corp and its subsidiary, ABS-CBN Convergence Inc., before the Supreme Court through a quo warranto petition.

- On the same day, ABS-CBN said the Solicitor General's allegations were "without merit."

- Several lawmakers hit the move of the government's top lawyer, saying it "usurped" on the exclusive power of Congress to review franchises.

- Buhay partylist Rep. Jose Atienza, Jr., in a privilege speech, asked House Committee on Legislative Franchises chair Rep. Franz Alvarez to act on bills seeking to renew ABS-CBN franchise or resign.

- Malacañang distanced Duterte from the Solicitor General's move, saying the chief executive's verbal attacks against ABS-CBN Corp. were unrelated to the quo warranto petition.

Duterte's threats vs ABS-CBN unrelated to SolGen quo warranto bid: Palace

February 11, 2020

- The Supreme Court gave ABS-CBN 10 days to answer the Solicitor General's petition.

- Senator Christoper "Bong" Go, a longtime aide of Duterte, said the latter has "nothing to do" with Calida's petition.

- House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano vowed an impartial hearing on bills for ABS-CBN franchise renewal

- Although Congress has yet to tackle bills seeking to renew the network's franchise, ABS-CBN may continue to operate beyond the expiration of its license to operate, according to Isabela 1st District Rep. Antonio Albano, vice chairperson of the House Committee on Legislative Franchises.

ABS-CBN can operate beyond franchise expiry- House franchise panel vice chair

February 12, 2020

- ABS-CBN released a reaction to Albano's statement, expressing appreciation to "the commitment of Congress to go through the renewal process at the appropriate time."

- Senator Grace Poe filed a resolution "directing the Senate Committee on Public Services to look into, in aid of legislation, on the operations of ABS-CBN Corporation to determine compliance with the terms and conditions of its franchise under Republic Act No. 7966."

February 13, 2020

- ABS-CBN Chief Operating Officer for Broadcast Cory Vidanes released a statement thanking the network's supporters.

February 14, 2020

- Speaker Cayetano said ABS-CBN franchise bills are "not that urgent," adding that the company can continue to operate through 2022 pending the passage of the new franchise bills.

- ABS-CBN employees and supporters gathered at Sgt. Esguerra Avenue in Quezon City to call for the network's franchise renewal.

On Valentine's Day, hundreds rally for ABS-CBN amid franchise woes

- Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon filed Senate Joint Resolution No. 11, seeking the extension of ABS-CBN's current franchise until Dec. 31, 2022 amid the limited session days in Congress before the expiration of the company's license to operate.

February 18, 2020

- Solicitor General Jose Calida asked the Supreme Court to issue a gag order on ABS-CBN and "parties and persons acting on their behalf" relating to statements surrounding the quo warranto petition.

- The Supreme Court told ABS-CBN to comment on the Solicitor General's plea within 5 days.

- The Senate initially set its hearing on the ABS-CBN franchise issue on Feb. 27, and later moved it to Feb. 24.

- Salvador Panelo, the presidential spokesman, said Duterte "does not want" ABS-CBN Corp to shut down despite the chief executive's repeated criticism of the network.

February 19, 2020

- Sen. Bong Go told the House of Representatives to act on the pending bills for ABS-CBN's franchise.

February 20, 2020

- ABS-CBN President and CEO Carlo Katigbak issued a videotaped message

- Speaker Cayetano said the House of Representatives may tackle bills on ABS-CBN's franchise in May or after Duterte's fifth State of the Nation Address in July

February 21, 2020

- Sen. Grace Poe invited Solicitor General Calida at the Senate public services committee's hearing on ABS-CBN's franchise set on Monday, Feb. 24.

- ABS-CBN employees, supporters, and celebrities showed up for a unity walk around the network's compound in Quezon City.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/23/20/timeline-abs-cbn-franchise-renewal

Duterte won't monitor Senate hearing on ABS-CBN franchise

President Rodrigo Duterte has not shown any interest in monitoring the Senate’s hearing on the renewal of 25-year congressional franchise and supposed violations of embattled broadcast firm ABS-CBN Corp., Malacañang said on Sunday.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Duterte is too busy to find time to listen to the Senate’s deliberations on the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN.

“Hindi interesado doon si Presidente. Madaming trabaho si Presidente. Too many work (The President is not interested in it. The President has too many tasks to attend to. He has too many work),” Panelo said in an interview with dzIQ.

The Senate public services committee is scheduled to hold its first hearing on ABS-CBN’s franchise on Monday.

The Senate hearing will be conducted ahead of the House of Representatives’ deliberations on at least 11 pending bills that seek to extend ABS-CBN’s franchise for another 25 years.

Panelo reiterated that the Palace will not interfere in the legislative functions of Congress.

“Ang Palasyo, hindi nakikialam sa bawat galaw ng Kongreso, Senado, at ibang mga represante. Wala kami doon (The Palace does not interfere in every action of Congress, the Senate, and other representatives. We do not interfere). It’s their turf. We will not intrude into them,” he said.

Senate public services committee chairperson Grace Poe earlier told ABS-CBN that Solicitor General (SolGen) Jose Calida, who is seeking the nullification of ABS-CBN’s franchise, has been asked to attend the hearing.

Poe said Calida’s participation will be “crucial,” considering the alleged violations he mentioned in a quo warranto petition he earlier lodged against ABS-CBN before the Supreme Court (SC).

Panelo said the Palace would let Calida act on his own with regard to the latter’s bid to cease the broadcast operations of ABS-CBN.

He also maintained that the executive branch is ready to heed SC’s possible ruling on ABS-CBN’s franchise.

“Hindi ba sinabi na namin ang posisyon namin diyan. Trabaho ng SolGen iyan. Hayaan mo siya. Gawin niya ang trabaho niya. Kung ano ang sabihin ng Korte Supreme, eh di susunod tayo (We already made a position. It’s the SolGen’s job. Let him be. Let him do his job. We will also follow the Supreme Court’s possible decision),” he said.

ABS-CBN’s legislative franchise expires on March 30, unless Congress and Duterte grant a fresh 25-year extension.

Last week, Calida asked SC to revoke ABS-CBN’s franchise due to its supposed violation of the 1987 Constitution when it allowed foreign ownership of the Philippine media entity.

Section 11(1), Article 16 of the 1987 Constitution states that only Filipino citizens of Philippine organizations are allowed to participate in the ownership and management of Philippine mass media.

On Tuesday, Calida also called on SC to stop parties from issuing statements on the pending quo warranto suit against ABS-CBN’s franchise.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1094601

Sandigan's Justice Cruz passes on, 64

Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Reynaldo Cruz died on Friday after losing a bout with pneumonia. He was 64.

Cruz was one of the last appointees of former President Benigno Aquino III.

He was a senior member of the Fourth Division of the anti-graft court at the time of his death.

Born on July 8, 1955, Cruz was supposed to serve in the judiciary until he retires on July 8, 2025.

Cruz was an undersecretary at the Office of the Executive Secretary in Malacañang before his appointment to the anti-graft court on Jan. 20, 2016.

https://manilastandard.net/news/national/317990/sandigan-s-justice-cruz-passes-on-64.html

Philippine judicial regions

#880015 - 136, 0, 21

#ED1C24 - 237, 28, 26

#FFC90E - 255, 201, 14

#B97A57 - 185, 122, 87

Seares: How much time do ABS-CBN, Congress, Supreme Court have?

AMONG the murky points in the current controversy over the renewal of the ABS-CBN franchise, the more troublesome and annoying is this: When does the franchise actually expire?

The initial widespread understanding is that the franchise, approved on March 30, 1995, will expire on March 30 this year. (A Cebu lawyer wondered if the expiry date shouldn’t be May 3, 2020, anniversary date of the effectivity of the law, instead of the date of its approval. That would be a bonus of 33 days or so. But that theory hasn’t taken off.)

Another interpretation has gained more traction because it came from congressional leaders Senate President Tito Sotto and House Speaker Allan Peter Cayetano.

Until end of 18th Congress

Sotto and Cayetano said the franchise will expire only until the end of 18th Congress since the 11 bills for the renewal have already been filed in the House, where private bills and franchise bills originate.

But what is the basis for the theory that ABS-CBN may still operate after this March?

Isabela Rep. Antonio Albano, vice chairman of the House panel on legislative franchises, cited “rule of thumb” and an unspecified briefing purportedly made to the committee. Sotto cited practice in other franchise cases. Sen. Bong Go weighed in with his idea that ABS-CBN can opt for a 45-day extension through a temporary permit from NTC.

No specific law

Here’s the thing: They don’t name a specific law supporting the theory of life beyond death of a franchise. They point to the authority of the NTC to grant an extension through a temporary permit.

But would the NTC, an agency under the office of the president, do that without a statutory order from Congress? Would the commission not be strict about this particular franchise which President Duterte repeatedly said he didn’t want renewed? NTC is likely to demand legal authority from Congress.

Or Sotto and Cayetano might say they were wrong or they could be blocked by lawsuit or they’d change their mind. They are presidential allies.

Suing for time

That may be the reason Sen. Franklin Drilon in the Senate and Cebu’s Rep. Raul del Mar in the House filed separate resolutions for the extension of ABS-CBN’s franchise until the end of the 18th Congress in 2022. The resolutions both seek to give ABS-CBN a fair hearing, without committing to approve or reject the renewal.

That would supply Congress more time to act on the pending franchise bills although it wouldn’t take the network out of the woods yet.

Here’s why. Congress may decide not to renew the franchise and it may do that even before its term ends. Or the Supreme Court (SC) may rule that ABS-CBN violations deserve the stripping of its franchise. And that also can happen even if the period of extension has not yet been consumed.

Uncertainties

If ABS-CBN’s franchise wouldn’t be extended by grace of NTC or authority of Congress, the SC petition would be rendered academic by the end of this March. Court watchers say the high court may not have to decide the case by simply not ruling on the quo warranto petition before Congress renders it moot by dumping the proposal.

There are uncertainties on which light will be shed only as the controversy unravels. What is clear is that the multifaceted dispute has raised side issues, including alleged malpractices of the network, which could bury the real intent of those who set off the machinery of regulation: to avenge a past personal and political offense.

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1845576

Leaders who lunch

The always lovely and hardworking Belo Medical Group CEO and founder Dr. Vicki Belo recently teamed up with the well-loved and determined Manila Mayor Isko Moreno for an inspiring afternoon of beauty and purpose.

During the event, held at Rizal Park Hotel in Manila, Mayor Isko talked to the media about Thermage FLX, Belo Beauty’s famed skin-tightening treatment that gives immediate results.

At the event, Vicki also announced that she would be donating a substantial amount to the victims of the Taal Volcano eruption.

Congratulations to Belo Medical Group for a successful event!

Johnny’s Angels

A beauteous group of ladies fondly named “JL’s Angels” went out for a fun-filled ladies’ night out at Chef Jessie at Rockwell Club in Makati City.

The gathering was graced by some of my lovely friends from the business and social sectors. It was the perfect way to celebrate the decade that is to come.

Until the next one, ladies!

Double Celebration. Happiness was doubled recently when friends celebrated a joint birthday lunch for Dolly Bohol and Mila Aguila (seated, third and fourth from left) at Circles Event Cafe at Makati Shangri-La Manila. Joining the afternoon fun were (seated, from left) Mila Querubin, Ester Dee and Linda Pastoral; (standing, from left) Mariter Macapagal, Norma Francia, STAR president and CEO Miguel Belmonte, Susan Figueras, Annie Salonga and Gilda Salonga.

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https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/allure/2020/02/23/1995258/leaders-who-lunch

‘Ang Probinsyano’ stars join ABS-CBN prayer vigil for franchise renewal

“Ang Probisyano” stars join the ABS-CBN prayer vigil. Image: Instagram/@cocomartin_ph, @johnprats

The cast of the hit action TV series “Ang Probinsyano,” led by main actors Coco Martin and Yassi Pressman, participated in the media conglomerate ABS-CBN’s prayer vigil to appeal for the  renewal of its franchise, which will soon expire.

The actors supported their home network by wearing white outfits and displaying a tied ribbon with the media company’s colors blue, green and red, yesterday, Feb. 21. ABS-CBN stars, staff and other employees came together in front of their main building in Quezon City to show their solidarity with the company and to defend the perceived attack against press freedom.

TV host Korina Sanchez took a few snippets from last night’s vigil and placed them in a collage as seen in her Instagram post yesterday. Candles lit the streets beside the network’s building as a sea of employees showed support.

Sanchez called them “heroes” and also used the hashtags #DefendPressFreedom and #YesToABSCBNFranchiseRenewal.

“Here you’ll see news anchor Julius Babao and Actor Jericho Rosales and cast members Angel Aquino, Jaime Fabregas, Rowell Santiago and Joel Torre,” Sanchez said.

View this post on Instagram

TONIGHT, stars, staff, employees and patriots come together in front of the ABSCBN main building to #DefendPressFreedom and say #YesToABSCBNFranchiseRenewal. Here you’ll see news anchor Julius Babao and Award winning Actor Jericho Rosales and Ang Probinsyano cast members Angel Aquino, Jaime Fabregas, Rowell Santiago and Joel Torre. Heroes. 💪💙❤️💚

A post shared by Korina Sanchez-Roxas (@korina) on Feb 21, 2020 at 5:31am PST

Martin, who plays the main role of Cardo Dalisay in “Ang Probinsyano,” expressed his solidarity in his Instagram post. The action star showed the facade of the media company’s building filled with people, some raising their hands into a fist.

“Hindi ka namin iiwan at pababayaan (We will not leave and ignore you)!” Martin declared.

View this post on Instagram

Hindi ka namin iiwan at pababayaan!!!

A post shared by Coco Martin (@mr.cocomartin) on Feb 21, 2020 at 4:03am PST

Actor John Prats also stood beside his fellow stars including Empoy Marquez and Raymart Santiago, among others, while holding up their glowing candles.

“Walang iwanan,” Prats said in his post yesterday.

View this post on Instagram

Walang iwanan! #Yestofranchise #Kapamilya

A post shared by John Paulo Q. Prats (@johnprats) on Feb 21, 2020 at 4:22am PST

Meanwhile, in the House of Representatives, Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said he would coordinate with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to allow the media network to continue operating while its bid for franchise renewal is pending. ABS-CBN’s franchise is set to expire on March 30.  /ra

https://entertainment.inquirer.net/365490/ang-probinsyano-stars-join-abs-cbn-prayer-vigil-for-franchise-renewal