Cayetano
HINDI palalagpasin ni House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano ang ginawang pagbaliktad ng National Telecommunications Commission at ang pakiki-alam ng Office of the Solicitor General sa prangkisa ng ABS-CBN 2.
Matapos ang ilang araw na pananahimik, nag-post si Cayetano sa kanyang social media account kaugnay ng pagpapasara ng NTC sa ABS-CBN taliwas sa mga pahayag nito na hahayaang mag-operate ang istasyon habang dinidinig ng Kongreso ang renewal ng prangkisa nito.
Gaya ng parati nitong ginagawa sa unahan ng kanyang pahayag ay naglagay si Cayetano ng Bible verse.
“But you, LORD, know all their plots to kill me. Do not forgive their crimes or blot out their sins from your sight. Let them be overthrown before you; deal with them in the time of your anger.” ~ Jeremiah 18:23
Sinabi ni Cayetano na umpisa pa lang ay inilatag na nito ang mga prayoridad ng Kamara de Representantes kasama kung kailan tatalakayin ang prangkisa ng ABS-CBN.
“And while we were on track with some of our priority legislation – including the swift passage of the 2020 budget, the Malasakit Center Act, and the creation of the Department of Overseas Filipino Workers, the eruption of Taal Volcano in January necessitated adjustments in the Congressional calendar.”
“This was aggravated by the growing threat of COVID-19, which as early as February 14, I was already mentioning as another urgent matter that Congress would have to immediately deal with.”
Kaya kinuha umano ng Kamara ang consensus ng Executive department sa pamamagitan ng Department of Justice at NTC upang magkaroon ito ng oras sa pagtalakay sa renewal ng prangkisa.
Sa pagdinig noong Marso sinabi ng NTC na magbibigay ito ng provisional authority sa ABS-CBN upang makapag-operate ito habang dinidinig ng Kongreso ang aplikasyon.
Habang walang sesyon ang Kongreso ay nagpatuloy sa pagtatrabaho ang Kamara at nagsagawa ng mga pagdinig sa pangunguna House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez upang talakayin ang mga kailangang programa para matulungan ang mga naapektuhan ng COVID-19. Ito ay bukod pa sa ipinatawag na special session kung saan inaprubahan ang Bayanihan to Heal as One bill.
“Last Tuesday we were all ambushed by the NTC,” ani Cayetano na ang tinutukoy ay ang pagtalikod ng NTC sa pahayag nito at ang pagpapalabas ng cease and desist order laban sa channel 2.
“While this unnecessarily complicates the issue, it does not change the fact that the exclusive Constitutional authority to grant, deny, extend, revoke, or modify broadcast franchises; Including having the primary jurisdiction to make an initial determination whether an application for a legislative franchise should be granted or denied – still resides in Congress, and Congress alone.”
Ang magiging tugon umano ng Kamara sa ginawang ito ng NTC ay ang gawin ang kanilang trabaho.
“The Committee on Legislative Franchises will conduct hearings in a manner that is consistent with what we have always said. That is – fair, impartial, thorough, and comprehensive.”
“We would have wanted to do this in an orderly manner. But what we want and what we have to deal with are two different things. So this Congress has no choice but to once again rise to the occasion and fix the mess others make. To our critics, in and outside of the House, you are free to say what you will. As we are free to respond in our own way.”
Sa huling bahagi ng kanyang pahayag sinabi ni Cayetano na darating ang pagtutuos para sa ginawang pagbaliktad ng NTC sa salita nito at sa OSG na naki-alam sa mandato ng Kongreso.
“As for the sudden flip-flopping of the NTC and the unconstitutional meddling by the Solicitor General in the business of Congress, I promise you – there will be a reckoning.”