Zubiri, Poe see swift Senate action on ABS-CBN franchise renewal

Sen. Grace Poe and Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri. PRIB FILE PHOTOS

MANILA, Philippines — Two senators on Monday said that ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal could be acted upon swiftly at the Senate but the House of Representatives should act promptly on it first.

According to Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, the ball is in the hands of the House of Representatives at the moment even if many senators “feel” that the franchise of the broadcasting giant should be renewed.

“Marami sa amin talaga na mga senador that feels na dapat tuloy ang pagbibigay ng franchise sa kanila (ABS-CBN) but again, of course, it’s beyond our control. Wala po saming kamay ito; nasa kamay po ito ng Kongreso,” Miguel Zubiri told reporters on Monday.

(Most of us senators really feel that the franchises of ABS-CBN should be given but again, of course, it’s beyond our control. This is not in our hands; it’s in the hands of [the House])

“If Congress deems that the franchise is necessary, or the franchise is approved on their level then dito sa Senado (here in the Senate), I commit that we will have a quick process,” he added.

Earlier Monday, the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) filed a quo warranto petition before the Supreme Court seeking to forfeit ABS-CBN’s franchise.

Solicitor General Jose Calida told reporters that the case was filed in order to stop the supposed “abusive practices” of the media network.

“Hindi ko po alam kung anong motibo ni (Solicitor General) Calida. Hindi ko pa nabasa ‘yung kanyang quo warranto case kaya mahirap magbigay ng pahayag diyan… For us in the Senate, it’s more prudent na hintayin na lang ang discussions on the franchise of ABS-CBN do’n sa House of Representatives,” Zubiri said when asked about the petition filed by Calida.

(I don’t know what Solicitor General Calida’s motive is. I haven’t read the quo warranto case yet so it’s hard to give a comment… For us in the Senate, it’s more prudent that to wait for the discussions on the franchise of ABS-CBN in the House of Representatives).

Zubiri explained that bills seeking the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise emanates from the lower chamber of Congress and must first be approved there before it could be tackled in the Senate.

“Majority of those I spoke to are in favor (of the franchise renewal) but it all depends on how it will hurdle the first stage, which is the House of Representatives,” he added.

If ABS-CBN’s franchise is not granted, the country’s largest media network would have to cease its television and radio operations after March 30, 2020.

Zubiri then called on the House of Representatives to urgently approve the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN in order to give the Senate enough time to deal with it.

The Senate is set to adjourn its session on March 14 and resume on May 4.

“It has to be approved immediately in the House so that we can tackle it within the period na hindi tayo naka-break (that we are not on break)… So, kailangan mabilis ang galaw nila sa Kongreso para mai-approve ito para hindi po maipit sa break (their actions in Congress must be fast so it can be approved so that it won’t be held down by the break),” Zubiri said.

He said it could take three weeks for the Senate to tackle ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal.

“We have procedures: first reading, second reading. So first reading immediate ‘yan, Pagpasok niyan dito, kaagad ifi-first reading namin yan. Meaning ibabato agad namin yan sa Committee on Public Services and I’m sure chairperson Grace Poe ihi-hearing nya ‘yan agad kasi ang mommy niyan isang haligi sa ABS-CBN bilang isa sa mga superstars of ABS-CBN,” he said referring to veteran actress Susan Roces.

(We have procedures: first reading, second reading. So first reading, that would be immediate. Once transmitted here, it will immediately undergo first reading. Meaning it will be transmitted to the Committee on Public Services and I’m sure chairperson Grace Poe will immediately conduct a hearing because her mommy is one of the pillars of ABS-CBN).

“We can do it in three weeks. Technically we can pass the measure in three weeks,” he added.

Senator Grace Poe agreed.

In a separate interview, Poe said: “Posible ‘yun kasi ang una naman d’yan talaga ay public hearing, pagkatapos n’yan ay maggagawa ng committee report tapos ididipensa sa plenaryo. Marami na rin akong nakausap na ating mga kasamahan dito sa Senado at marami namang sumusuporta sa panukala” to renew ABS-CBN’s legislative franchise.

(That’s possible because it will undergo a public hearing first, after that we will craft a committee report, and then defended in the plenary. I have talked with many of my colleagues here in the Senate and many are supportive of the proposal.)

With a quo warranto petition filed by Calida, Poe underscored the importance of conducting public hearings on the matter so that issues, including alleged violations of the broadcasting company, could be threshed out.

“Ganon talaga sa isang demokrasya, may pagsasalubong ng kanya-kanyang opinyon pero para sa akin, igigiit ko ang mandato ng Senado na dapat ay madinig man lang ang mga bagay-bagay ukol sa prangkisa,” she said.

(That’s how democracy works, there are contrasting opinions but for me, I will assert the mandate of the Senate that hearings must at least be conducted to hear issues about the franchise.)

Edited by KGA