‘Walang napatunayang pagkakasala ang ABS-CBN’ – Zarate

MANILA, Philippines — “Walang napatunayang pagkakasala ang ABS-CBN.”

(There has been proven offense of ABS-CBN.)

This was the case raised by Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate before his colleagues at the House of Representatives as he registered his support to the approval of ABS-CBN Corporation’s franchise application.

The House committees on legislative franchises and blue ribbon on Thursday held a summation of its joint hearings in the last 12 days on the franchise application of ABS-CBN.

According to Zarate, concerned government agencies have certainly explained and cleared up all issues and allegations being hurled at the broadcasting company, which is seeking another 25-year legislative franchise.

“Nagsalita na ang mga ahensya na may pangunahing hurisdiksyon sa mga issues at usaping binabato sa ABS-CBN,” he said.

(Agencies that have the main jurisdiction over issues and allegations thrown at ABS-CBN have already spoken.)

“Malinaw ang binanggit na mga inimbitahan nating resource persons sa iba’t-ibang regulatory agencies, walang napatunayang pagkakasala ang ABS-CBN,” he added.

(It is clear what the resource persons we invited had said, there was no proven offense of ABS-CBN.)

In the last 12 hearings, the House panels have tackled a number of issues including the citizenship of the media network’s chair emeritus Gabby Lopez, the Lopez family’s reclaiming of the company after the 1986 EDSA Revolution, the company’s involvement in alleged labor and tax violations, and ABS-CBN’s alleged political bias.

ABS CBN employees and supporters stage a caravan protest at the House of Representatives on Thursday, July 9, to appeal to lawmakers to approve the broadcast network’s application for renewal of its franchise as the House committee prepares for a summation of the 12 hearings it undertook on whether to grant the network another 25 years franchise. INQUIRER/GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

During a hearing, the Department of Justice said that Gabby Lopez is a Filipino citizen – since he was born to Filipino parents, and also an American citizen – because he was born in the United States.

Zarate also stressed that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) cleared ABS-CBN of any violation in their selling of Philippine Deposit Receipts (PDRs).

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Internal Revenue likewise attested that ABS-CBN has been regularly paying its taxes and it currently has no delinquent taxes.

Zarate further said the courts agreed that it is only right that the ownership of ABS-CBN was returned to the Lopezes, and that the Commission on Elections likewise acknowledged that the media network did not violate any election law.

Earlier, the Bayan Muna party-list legislator said members of the legislative franchises panel are set to vote on bills calling for ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal but committee chairman, Palawawn 1st Dist. Rep. Franz Alvarez, said a final date for the voting on whether to grant the broadcasting company’s franchise plea is yet to be scheduled.