Sotto: No need to raise ABS-CBN’s ‘bias’ if Senate hears franchise bid

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Wednesday that he sees no need to bring up the issue on ABS-CBN’s alleged biased reporting if the upper chamber hears the broadcasting firm’s franchise application.

During the House committee level deliberations on the franchise appeal of the beleaguered network on Monday, the lower chamber tackled ABS-CBN’s supposed “political bias,” with some congressmen accusing the media outfit of unfair reporting.

“In the Senate, hindi siguro [ita-tackle ‘yung alleged biases]. I don’t know about the others, but as far as I am concerned, to me, it is not an issue. Kasi hindi mo maiiwasan na kung minsan it is not really the company like for example, GMA 7 or even Channel 5, TV 5, hindi naman ‘yung mga executives ang may kinalaman doon sa slant,” Sotto said in an online media forum.

(In the Senate, I don’t think we’ll tackle the alleged biases. I don’t know about the others, but as far as I am concerned, to me, it is not an issue. Because you can’t really control it and sometimes it’s not really the company like for example, GMA 7 or even Channel 5, TV 5, the executives had nothing to do with slanting a story).

He also said that the government should not meddle with the editorial content of news organizations.

A network’s alleged biases should not serve as a ground to deny it a legislative franchise, according to Sotto.

“Bias lang? Hindi siguro unless there is a grave violation,” he said.

(Just because of bias? That should not be a reason unless there is a grave violation).

“Kung may matinding violation ka, we will recall, all we have to do is repeal the bill or the law that gave the franchise pagka may matinding violations na ginagawa against the government ang isang franchise holder. Generally speaking, pwede ‘yun,” he added.

(If the network commits grave violation, we will recall the franchise, all we have to do is repeal the bill or the law that gave the franchise if a franchise holder commits grave violations against the government).

For Senator Nancy Binay, who considers her family the “topnotcher” of negative stories from the media, personal grievances should not serve as a basis on whether or not to approve ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal.

“ABS-CBN was not fair to us. For me, that is a fact, pero dapat hindi ‘yan kasama dun sa issue ng pagre-renew ng franchise ng ABS[-CBN].  That’s between me and ABS-CBN. ‘Wag nating idamay ‘yung buong bayan dun sa kumbaga personal issues natin,” Binay said in a separate online interview with reporters.

(ABS-CBN was not fair to us. For me, that is a fact. But that should not be an issue in ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal. That’s between me and ABS-CBN. We should not drag the whole country with our personal issues).

“I guess kasama dun sa pwedeng talakayin ‘yung (news presentation) but para nga sa akin mas mahalaga ‘yung access to information, lalong-lalo na ‘di ba may pinagdadaanan tayong pandemic,” she added.

(I guess we can also tackle that but for me, access to information is more important, especially during this time of pandemic).

“Ang issue ngayon is the access to information at as public officials, we should go beyond our personal issues and think kung ano ‘yung makakabuti,” she further pointed out.

(The issue now is access to information and as public officials, we should go beyond our personal issues and think about what would be best for the greater good).

Public officials, Binay said, have other avenues to air their grievances against news organizations.

“As a public official, medyo kailangan matibay din yung dibdib mo pagdating dito sa mga ganitong pagpuna kasi bahagi ‘yan nung mundo ng isang politiko.”

(As a public official, we should not be fazed by criticisms because that’s part of politics).

“May mga avenue na pwede naman mapuntahan..May remedy, pwedeng mag-file ng libel. Ang importante, at the end of the day ,alam mo ‘yung katotohanan,” she added.

(There are other avenues that we can resort to…There’s a remedy, like filing a libel case. What’s important, at the end of the day, is we know the truth).

The House legislative franchise committee is handling hearings on ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal together with the House committee on good government and public accountability.

READ: No sched yet for voting on ABS-CBN franchise – House panel chair

The joint panels have so far held 12 hearings related to ABS-CBN’s bid for a franchise where issues such as the citizenship of the network’s chair emeritus Gabby Lopez, the Lopez family’s reclamation of the network after the EDSA Revolution, the alleged labor violations of the network, tax-related issues, and the network’s alleged political bias, among others, were discussed.

While the hearings were jointly conducted by the two House panels, only the 46 members of the legislative franchise committee, as well as the 44 House officials who are considered ex officio members, will be able to vote.

If the lawmakers’ votes will be in favor of the franchise renewal, ABS-CBN’s application will be up for discussion in the plenary.

Should the House approve the franchise renewal, it would then be transmitted to the Senate for consideration.

Deliberations on ABS-CBN’s franchise in the Senate may probably proceed faster than it did in the lower chamber of Congress, according to Binay.

“I can’t speak for the other senators but sa tingin ko maiiba [‘yung scenario sa Senate. Siguro naman sa sobrang haba ng hearings na ginawa sa [House of Representatives] baka pagdating sa Senado hindi naman siguro ganun kahaba,” she said.

(I can’t speak for the other senators but I think the scenario in the Senate will be different. With how long the hearings took in the House of Representatives, I think when it reaches the Senate it would not be that long).

A day after its franchise expired on May 4, ABS-CBN was forced off the air after the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) ordered the shutdown of its free radio and free television broadcast operations nationwide.

Nearly two months after, NTC issued separate cease-and-desist orders to stop the operations of ABS-CBN’s digital and satellite platforms.

KGA