‘Congress is not here to comfort ABS-CBN,’ says Cayetano
MANILA, Philippines — Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday rejected the suggestion of having a concurrent resolution ordering the National Telecommunication Commission (NTC) to issue the embattled media giant ABS-CBN a provisional authority (PA) to operate, effective May 4 this year.
During a hearing of the House legislative franchise committee on Tuesday, NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba said that there would be a “more stable legal environment” if both houses of Congress, through a concurrent resolution, would authorize the commission to issue a PA.
The Senate has already adopted a resolution that seeks to allow ABS-CBN and its subsidiaries to operate while the 18th Congress tackles its franchise renewal.
For its part, the House of Representatives has yet to act on several resolutions seeking the media giant’s extension of operations.
READ: Senate recommends granting of provisional authority for ABS-CBN
“These are all comfort letters eh. Congress is not here to comfort ABS-CBN or to comfort NTC,” Cayetano told reporters in a press conference.
The House leaders only have a “simple” approach regarding the ABS-CBN franchise renewal. Cayetano said these are “fair, open, transparent, objective hearings.”
He also assured the media network that they will not stop operating.
“Hindi kami makikialam kung ano ang ibo-broadcast nila. Wala pa akong narinig na endangered ang ABS-CBN na isara at wala talagang dahilan,” the Speaker said.
(We won’t intervene on what they want to broadcast. I haven’t heard anything suggesting that ABS-CBN is in danger of closing and there is no reason to close it.)
On Tuesday, the NTC assured that it will “likely” issue a provisional authority to ABS-CBN, following the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) advice on the matter.
READ: NTC: ABS-CBN will be allowed to operate beyond May 4
The House legislative franchises committee has also adopted Cayetano’s and panel chair Palawan Rep. Franz Alvarez’s letter ordering NTC to grant the media company a provisional authority.
READ: House panel adopts call for NTC to give ABS-CBN provisional authority
