DU30’S CRONIES- WAR VS. OLIGARCHS: More lawmakers back plenary vote for ABS-CBN franchise

MANILA, Philippines — More lawmakers have joined the move to bring the battle of the ABS-CBN franchise to the House plenary.

In an online forum yesterday, three more House members supported the bid of the six-member Makabayan bloc to have the resolution and report of the legislative franchises committee rejecting the ABS-CBN franchise renewal bills reviewed and deliberated on by all 301 members of the chamber.

They called on the House leadership under Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano to allow the plenary debate and voting, and heed the will of a majority of the people supporting the network’s franchise renewal, citing a Social Weather Station survey showing 75 percent of Filipinos favor the grant of the franchise application.

Agusan del Norte Rep. Lawrence Fortun, Buhay party-list Rep. Lito Atienza and Parañaque City Rep. Joy Tambunting all agreed with the Makabayan bloc that the House plenary may review and overturn the panel’s decision.

“The term ‘laid on the table’ means the committee will no longer act on it. But it doesn’t prevent the plenary from reviewing the resolution. It can still be acted upon by the plenary,” Fortun explained.

Fortun believed that the findings of the committee were “whimsical and capricious.”

“The entire House should look at the findings,” he stressed.

Atienza agreed with Fortun’s opinion, saying the plenary has the power to “correct the mistrial committed by the committee.”

“The plenary is the voice of the people… If members vote according to their conscience, and if the Speaker does not twist arms, majority of House members will support the plenary review of the committee findings,” he pointed out.

Tambunting, for her part, reiterated their appeal for renewal of the franchise for the sake of 11,000 workers of the network who stand to lose their jobs at a time of pandemic and economic recession.

“I hope the trust and confidence of the business sector to the government returns. I hope the workers of ABS-CBN get their jobs back. Mga kapamilya, don’t lose hope,” she commented.

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At the same forum, members of the Makabayan bloc again pushed for plenary debate on the matter.

Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate urged the House leadership to heed the “voice of the people” that he said clearly supports the franchise renewal of the network.

“Majority of our people want ABS-CBN to return on air. (The SWS survey) is a message to our colleagues in Congress that we need to reflect on this matter in the plenary,“ he said.

Zarate was joined by fellow Bayan Muna Reps. Ferdinand Gaite and Eufemia Cullamat; ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro; Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas and Kabataan Rep. Sarah Elago in calling for a plenary debate on the issue.

Earlier, Deputy Speaker Vilma Santos-Recto and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman expressed support for the proposal.

Cayetano himself said the plenary discussion on ABS-CBN franchise is “possible,” since the plenary has the power to review resolutions of committees under the 1987 Constitution.

Citizen volunteers have launched an initiative to gather at least seven million signatures across the country in support of the ABS-CBN franchise renewal.

Called the “People’s Initiative for Reforms and Movement for Action (PIRMA Kapamilya),” the movement aims to activate a provision of the Constitution that allows the public to directly propose and enact laws.

To be successful, it requires the signatures of at least three percent of registered voters in each legislative district and at least 10 percent of total registered voters in the country.

This translates to around seven million signatures, according to PIRMA Kapamilya.

Once the signatures are validated by the Commission on Elections, a plebiscite shall be called which will need a majority of votes cast to approve the proposed bill. – Janvic Mateo