By JOHN CARLO M. CAHINHINAN
House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano has distanced himself from the possible quo warranto case allegedly being prepared by Solicitor General Jose Calida against broadcast giant ABS-CBN.
In an interview in Batangas City, Cayetano said that although he “respect the actions of the Solicitor General” if he thinks that the transfer of ownership of the Kapamilya network in 1986 as an judicial issue, he would rather prepare for the upcoming committee deliberations in the legislative franchise panel next month to hear those who are those in favor and against the renewal of the Lopez-controlled broadcast firm.
“We just respect the actions of the SolGen na kung tingin niya it’s a judicial issue. It’s an issue for judiciary wala kaming interaction or wala kaming part dun. Kami, we’ll just focus on the next 25 years, so the next renewal kung tawagin natin but it’s actually a new franchise,” said Cayetano.
Cayetano stressed that he doesn’t think filing of a possible quo warranto case versus ABS-CBN is the proper venue to tackle the supposed violations the network committed in their existing franchise.
He added that “not all violation of the franchise is equivalent to not granting the franchise.”
“Hindi lahat ng violation, ‘di ba parang sa high school yan, iba yung kick-out, iba yung suspended, iba yung pagsasabihan ka lang,” the Speaker said.
Cayetano stressed they will hear side of Calida once he decides to join the upcoming hearings in the House committee of legislative franchises as one of its oppositors if he thinks ABS-CBN committed several major violations on its current franchise.
“Although we call it renewal, it’s a new franchise in the sense na kung yung issues dun ay i-bring up niya sa hearing, pwedeng maapektuhan kasi pag may violation ka ng franchise pwedeng hindi i-grant,” said Cayetano.
Cayetano revealed that he recently talked with House committee on legislative franchise chair Franz “Chicoy” Alvarez and he was told that the Palawan congressman is set to hear about 50 franchise renewal bills, pending before his panel by first week of February.
