After rushing second reading approval of HB 6732 last week, Speaker Allan Peter Cayetano and the House of Representatives leadership has decided to drop the measure.
After scheduling 14 legislative franchise bills for a series of hearings starting next week, the House is expected to decide on the fate of media giant ABS-CBN by October this year. Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano disclosed that the House Committee on Legislative Franchises may be expected to submit its recommendations on ABS-CBN’s congressional franchise proposals by the first week of August.
The schedule will allow the Lower Chamber to conduct plenary debates and vote on the committee recommendation before the October break. Cayetano said the House panel chaired by Palawan Rep. Franz Alvarez will continue holding hearings on the bills even during the two-month congressional break and is expected to present its recommendation by first week of August.A total 11 bills call for the renewal of the Kapamilya network’s legislative franchise that expired on May 4. Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez filed House Bill 6694 proposing a new 25-year franchise for network while House officials led by Cayetano filed HB 6732 seeking to give ABS-CBN a five month provisional franchise to reopen and allow its operation until October 31. On the other hand, House Resolution 853 seeks a congressional inquiry into the “probable violations” allegedly committed by ABS-CBN on the provisions of the congressional franchise previously granted by Congress. HB 853 was authored by Deputy Speaker and Davao City Rep.Paolo Duterte, Reps. Abraham Tolentino and Eric Go Yap . Interviewed over radio DZMM, Cayetano said that with the conduct of a series of hearings on the issue, Lower House members will be able to judge fairly on the franchise issues. The House leader stressed that “due process” will be observed with both oppositors and suppoters being given enough time to present their position during the series of hearings scheduled by Alvarez. Cayetano also assured the public that Alvarez and his committee will be given “complete freedom” to deliberate on the proposed measures.
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