ni Mylene Alfonso @News | Jan. 8, 2025
File Photo: ABS CBN Bldg
Pinamamadali ng isang lider sa Kamara de Representantes ang pag-apruba sa kanyang inihaing panukalang batas upang muling bigyan ng prangkisa ang ABS-CBN Corporation upang magkaroon muli ng television at radio broadcasting stations sa bansa.
Si House Ways and Means committee chairperson Joey Salceda (Albay), ang naghain ng House Bill 11252 para pagkalooban muli ng prangkisa ang ABS-CBN.
"I filed House Bill No. 11252 renewing the ABS-CBN franchise for another 25 years because I believe that the free market of ideas requires competition. A virtual monopoly will not do as far as disseminating ideas and keeping the public informed is concerned," pahayag ni Salceda.
Matatandaang noong Hunyo 2020 nang alisan at hindi na i-renew ng House Committee on Legislative Franchises ng prangkisa ang ABS-CBN dahil umano sa mga nagawang paglabag.
Nang talakayin noong taong 2020 ang pag-renew sa prangkisa ng ABS-CBN, inihayag ni Salceda, na batay sa testimonya ng Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) at Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), walang nilabag na ownership restrictions at walang utang sa buwis ang naturang network company.
“Given the merits of renewing the franchise, as well as the clarifications made by government agencies over certain allegations against the grantee, this representation urges Congress to reconsider the non-renewal of the franchise by the previous Congress,” punto ni Salceda sa kanyang explanatory note.
“In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is urgently sought,” hirit ni Salceda.
Noong 2020, iniulat ng Technical Working Group, na nilabag umano ng ABS-CBN ang dati nitong prangkisa dahil sa mga sumusunod na dahilan: ang dating chairman umano nito na si Eugenio Lopez III ay parehong Filipino at American citizen, ang pagbibigay ng Philippine Depositary Receipts na pumapabor umano sa mga dayuhan, hindi kaaya-ayang mga programa, pakikialam sa pulitika, pagtakas sa pagbabayad ng buwis; usapin ng labor practices, at iba pa.
Inihayag din noon ng TWG na hindi maaaring gamitin ng ABS-CBN ang freedom of the press bilang dahilan para humingi ng prangkisa.
“It is what it is — a denial of a privilege granted by the State because the applicant was seen as undeserving of the grant of a legislative franchise. By no means can this franchise application be related to press freedom. If it were so, then all applicants for legislative franchises covering mass media could simply claim such freedom and force the hand of this Committee each time,” nakasaad sa Committee Resolution.
Itinanggi naman noon ng ABS-CBN ang mga alegasyon. At noong Mayo 5, 2020, nawala na ang ABS-CBN sa telebisyon at radyo, sa utos na rin ng National Telecommunications Commission dahil sa kawalan na nito ng prangkisa.
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