PINAYAGAN na umano ng Senado at Kamara de Representantes na magpatuloy ang operasyon ng ABS-CBN 2 pagkatapos ng validity ng prangkisa nito ngayong araw.
Ayon kay Isabela Rep. Tonypet Albano, vice chairman ng House committee on legislative franchises, hindi dapat isara ng National Telecommunication Commission o anumang ahensya ang ABS-CBN.
“In our constitution, it’s provided that Congress has the exclusive right and jurisdiction on legislative franchises. And under this exclusive privilege, we can grant or dissolve any legislative franchises. And with that power, we as a Congress have exercised that power by asking NTC to provide a Provisional Authority to Abs Cbn, while we deliberate whether to reject or grant the Abs Cbn franchise,” paliwanag ni Albano.
Wala umanong nakikitang dahilan si Albano kung bakit kailangang isara ang ABS-CBN lalo at mayroon itong malaking papel sa paghahatid ng impormasyon kaugnay ng laban sa coronavirus disease 2019.
“In fact, it is more important now than ever, for media like ABS-CBN who has a far reaching network, to be open during this pandemic. ABS-CBN provides much needed information that government has been giving to reach everyone and keep us abreast on vital information that can spell the difference in saving lives and helping our country as we speak!”
Umaasa si Albano na malinaw ang para sa NTC ang pagnanais ng Kongreso na magpalabas ito ng provisional authority habang hindi pa tapos ang deliberasyon kung ire-renew o hindi ang prangkisa.
Iginiit rin ni Palawan Rep. Franz Alvarez, chairman ng House committee on franchise, na dapat ay hayaan ang Kamara na magawa ang mandato nito kaugnay ng prangkisa ng ABS-CBN at habang ginagawa ay payagan na mag-operate ang Channel 2.
“The Committee on Legislative Franchises started deliberating on ABS-CBN’s application for renewal of its franchise before Congress adjourned in March, and has directed all interested parties to submit their positions papers for or against ABS-CBN’s application.”
“Consistent with precedents, the Committee enjoined the NTC to allow ABS-CBN to operate until such time that the House of Representatives makes a decision on its application. This will give Congress sufficient time to assess the qualifications of the applicant and make a complete review of the positions of the different stakeholders.”
Sinabi ni Alvarez na nagbigay na rin ng kaparehong opinyon ang Department of Justice kaya “there is no reason for ABS-CBN to discontinue or stop their operations.”
Ayon naman kay Agusan del Norte Rep. Lawrence Fortun hindi umano makabubuti sa bansa na ipasara ang ABS-CBN na mayroong 11,000 empleyado sa panahon na marami ang naghihirap.
“Our appeal is for the Solicitor General to set aside this legal skirmish for now and for the NTC to make good its commitment to Congress. Since Congress, both the House and the Senate, have already officially expressed an unmistakable intent to grant the network provisional authority, the NTC should, as it has in the past, issue now that provisional authority,” ani Fortun.
Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Bandera. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.