MANILA, Philippines — A lawmaker said Wednesday that the Supreme Court’s (SC) dismissal of the quo warranto petition against ABS-CBN simply showed that it was a mere “performance to further threaten” the embattled media network giant.
During the online press briefing of the House of Representatives’ Makabayan bloc, Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Arlene Brosas said the quo warranto petition filed by the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) was “senseless and absurd.”
“Dismissal ng (of) OSG quo warranto petition just shows that the filing of the petition was just mere performance to further threaten ABS-CBN. Kung para sa (if for) SC ito ay (this is) moot and academic, para sa amin sa (for us in) Gabriela Partylist [this is] senseless at absurd,” Brosas said.
Brosas added that SC’s dismissal of the quo warranto petition is a sign that Congress should now resolve the issue on ABS-CBN’s bid for a 25-year franchise, which remains pending in the lower chamber.
“Pag-resume ng hearing sa franchise, dapat i-resolba na ito (Once hearing on the franchise resumes, this should already be resolved). We urge our fellow lawmakers to heed the call of the Filipino people to renew the ABS-CBN franchise,” Brosas added.
Meanwhile, ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro said OSG’s “black magic” did not work on the quo warranto petition, as she underscored that those in isolated areas in the country use television as a source of information and entertainment.
“‘Di tumalab ‘yung black magic ni OSG sa quo warranto dun sa Korte Suprema. Marami na rin tayo narinig talaga sa mga constitutional issues. Nakita naman natin na wala naman unconstitutional dun sa pag-ere ng ABS-CBN,” Castro said.
(OSG’s black magic did not work on the quo warranto petition before the Supreme Court. We have heard a lot of constitutional issues but we have seen that there is nothing unconstitutional with ABS-CBN’s airing.)
Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate likewise said that Congress should take the dismissal of the case as a cue to hasten the resolution of ABS-CBN pending franchise application.
“Bilang authors ng pagbibigay ng franchise sa ABS-CBN ay we welcome this decision of the Supreme Court. Sana the congress will take this as cue para pabilisin na din ung resolution ng pending application ng ABS-CBN sa kanilang franchise,” Zarate said.
(As authors of bills granting ABS-CBN a franchise, we welcome this decision of the Supreme Court. I hope Congress will take this as a cue to hasten the resolution of ABS-CBN’s pending franchise application.)
“Alam naman natin na ito na ang pinakamahabang pagdinig for a franchise. Halos lahat ng issues ay binusisi na din at nakita naman natin bilang authors na walang kadahilanan para ‘di ma-renew,” he added.
(We know that this has been the longest hearing for a franchise. Almost all of the issues are being scrutinized and we see as authors that there is no reason for ABS-CBN’s franchise to not be renewed.)
The high court has dismissed OSG’s quo warranto case against ABS-CBN on the ground of mootness.
SC said the case is already considered moot because the television giant’s franchise has expired last month.