Lacson: For House to sit on pending bills ‘reeks of abdication’
Sen. Panfilo Lacson (EDWIN BACASMAS)
MANILA, Philippines— Senator Panfilo Lacson has criticized the House of Representatives for sitting on bills pending before the lower chamber.
Among the proposed legislation the House has yet to act on is the controversial franchise of ABS-CBN Corp., which is set to expire on May 4 this year, and not on March 30 as earlier reported.
“After all is said and heard, there is no changing the reality that the Supreme Court will decide if violations of the franchise law were committed and Congress has the power to grant or deny the franchise,” Lacson said in a Twitter post Monday night.
Senators assert jurisdiction, legality of Senate probe on ABS-CBN’s franchise
The senator was apparently referring to the hearing of the Senate committee on public services on ABS-CBN’s compliance with the terms and conditions of its own franchise.
“But for the House to sit on pending bills reeks of abdication,” Lacson went on.
Lacson was notably absent during Monday’s hearing of the committee headed by Senator Grace Poe.
Poe’s panel also tackled Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon’s joint resolution, which seeks to extend the franchise until December 31, 2022 or while the franchise bill is pending at the 18th Congress.
Drilon files resolution extending ABS-CBN franchise until 2022
