MANILA, Philippines — Don’t be surprised if Solicitor General Jose Calida runs again to the Supreme Court (SC) to question ABS-CBN’s continued operations after March 30, 2020.
This was the reason why Senate President Franklin Drilon filed a joint resolution at the Senate on Monday, extending the network’s franchise until December 31, 2022.
“It is almost certain that on April 1, 2020, the Solicitor General will question the continued operation of ABS-CBN with the expiration of the franchise on March 30, 2020,” Drilon, former Justice Secretary, said when asked about his resolution.
“With that eventuality then it is a legal debate. In the meantime, there is no franchise. On March 30, you have 11,000 families who would have no livelihood,” he also said.
It was Calida who also filed a quo warranto petition on February 10, asking the high tribunal to revoke the legislative franchise of ABS-CBN.
“If you do not do this, in six weeks’ time the continued existence of the ABS-CBN is open to question,” Drilon said of his resolution.
While there is some opinion that the pendency of a franchise renewal bill is already enough basis for the continued existence of the AS-CBN, the senator said this has yet to be confirmed by the SC.
“And, in the meantime, there is no franchise come April 1,” he pointed out.
But since he filed a joint resolution, Drilon said the other chamber of Congress, which is the House of Representatives, must also agree to it.
And he is not certain the House would support his move.
“That is a responsibility that they have to bear with 11,000 people losing their jobs on March 30,” the minority leader said.
But if both chambers approve the joint resolution, then ABS-CBN’s legislative franchise would be extended until 2022 unless it was vetoed by President Rodrigo Duterte.
Drilon also noted another opinion that ABS-CBN would need a temporary permit from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to extend its operation until 2022.
But he doubts NTC would allow the extension of ABS-CBN’s franchise since the commission is under Duterte.
“Given the position of the President, I doubt whether the NTC will allow that extension,” Drilon.
Duterte himself has repeatedly threatened to block the franchise renewal of the country’s largest broadcasting network as he accused the media outfit of not airing his paid advertisements during the 2016 elections.