The House of Representatives is set to deliberate the fate of ABS-CBN franchise renewal in February, barely a month before it expires.
House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said Thursday House Committee on Legislative Franchises headed by Palawan Rep. Franz Alvarez will hear the media giant’s franchise application together with 40 applications pending at the panel.
Cayetano reiterated they have enough time to review the proposed franchise extension and the lower chamber will be fair on hearing issues on the passage of the bill that will give congressional license to the network for 25 years.
“We have enough time. Kung ‘yung budget na P4.1-trillion natapos natin ng isang buwan, iyon pa kayang franchise,” Cayetano told Manila Bulletin.
READ MORE: Alan Peter Cayetano says there’s ‘enough time’ to tackle ABS-CBN franchise
The Speaker also stressed that the quo warranto petition filed by the Office of Solicitor General before the Supreme Court will not have bearing on the House’s deliberation whether to grant ABS-CBN’s renewal.
“Parang sa high school yan, iba yung kick-out, iba yung suspended, iba yung pagsasabihan ka lang. So not all violations of the franchise is equivalent to not granting the franchise,” Cayetano underscored.
The lower chamber is dominated by the allies of President Rodrigo Duterte, who repeatedly vowed to block the network’s renewal.
Duterte accused the broadcast network of fraud due to non-airing of his political ads during the 2016 elections.
READ ALSO: Palace denies involvement in petition to revoke ABS-CBN’s franchise
