HINDI umano isasara ng National Telecommunication Commission ang ABS-CBN2 habang nagsasagawa nang pagdinig ang Kamara de Representantes sa renewal ng prangkisa nito.
Sa pagdinig ng House committee on legislative franchises kahapon, sinabi ni NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba na maglalabas ang ahensya ng provisional authority para sa ABS-CBN.
“May I assure this committee that barring a gross violation of its franchise of the NTC rules and regulations, the NTC will follow the latest advice of the DOJ (Department of Justice) and let ABS-CBN continue operations based on equity,” ani Cardoba. “We are comforted by the fact that both chambers of Congress are aligned with the DOJ and the NTC’s take on the issue.”
Matapos ang pagdinig, nag-press conference si Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano kung saan binigyang-diin nito ang sinabi ng NTC na magpapatuloy ang operasyon ng ABS-CBN kahit expired na ang prangkisa nito sa Mayo 4.
“Let me send a very clear message, no. 1 the only thing Congress wants is to make the right decision and we can only make the right decision if we have fair, transparent and objective hearings that are rule based. And no. 2 innocent until proven guilty, as far as we are concern wala pang violation ang ABS-CBN sa kanilang franchise, so there is no reason in this world why NTC or any other agency of government should shut them down or prohibit them from broadcasting while their franchise is pending before the committee. There is no denial ng committee so walang reason na isara sila ”
Sinabi ni Cayetano na maaari nilang dinggin at ipasa kaagad ang prangkisa subalit hindi umano ito magiging patas sa mga may reklamo sa ABS-CBN.
Ang mga pabor at tutol sa renewal ng prangkisa ay binigyan ng hanggang Mayo 30 upang magsumite ng kanilang position paper.