MANILA, Philippines — “I think it’s somewhat duplicitous this move to stop ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal because they cannot stop the Congress from deciding on that,” Sen. Panfilo Lacson said this on Saturday in reaction to the reported move of the Office of the Solicitor General to ask the Supreme Court to revoke the network’s franchise.
Lacson stressed that it would be up to Congress to decide whether a media outfit’s franchise would be renewed for.
According to a news report, Solicitor General Jose Calida, who is the legal defender of the government, will file a petition before the Supreme Court to have the congressional franchise of ABS-CBN revoked because of its alleged violations.
Lacson also noted that the high court would not “encroach on the power guaranteed by the Constitution” to Congress.
The media giant’s franchise is set to expire in March this year. Under Republic Act No. 3846, television and radio broadcasters are mandated to secure a franchise from the government before they can operate.
/atm