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| House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano | ABS-CBN logo | Photo credit to Remate and Abs-Cbn |
House Speaker and Taguig-Pateros 1st District Representative, Alan Peter Cayetano, allegedly has "personal objection" to ABS-CBN's franchise renewal.
It has been said that in March 2020, the 25-year franchise of the Kapamilya Network, awarded in 1995 through Republic Act 7966, is about to expire.
With that, Cayetano in an interview on a news program, admitted that he had doubts about the network's renewal franchise, thus, clarified that this does not mean they will no longer be fair in their discussion of the network's pending legislation in Congress on renewing it's franchise.
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House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano | Photo credit to ABS-CBN
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“People like me, I also have some objections. I’ll tell you, this is my personal opinion, okay?, he said.
Cayetano also added that then again, he feels that certain instances in the nation's history, more so in the 2016 election, that some sectors or some leaders of ABS-CBN intervened unjustifiably.
"On one hand, I feel that we have to protect the freedom of the press and freedom of expression. On the other hand, I feel that certain instances in history and in the 2016 election na nakialam unjustly some sectors or some leaders of ABS." , Cayetano said.
The House Speaker further announced that the network's renewal is not the Congress's priority right now, because there are lots of priority bills that they needed to attend to first, but said that the Committee on Legislative Franchises will discuss it before the year ends.
Cayetano there upon said that he rather talk about it in a hearing directly and face to face with them, yet, assured the public that regardless of whether they are possibly in support or not of ABS-CBN, they will do it with fair treatment and will make a decision that is satisfactory to everybody and will benefit the nation.
“But I'd rather have it in a hearing, diretsuhan, face to face, and talk about it. I'll just assure the public, whether they are for or against ABS, that we will do it with due process and we will find a conclusion that is acceptable to everyone but will be good for the country," the House Speaker exclaimed.
Likewise, Cayetano stressed that there is still a bill in the Senate on the said renewal and the President to decide if ever, in addition to the current six proposed bills in the Lower House regarding the franchise renewal of the network that are still pending with the committee that are not been scheduled yet.
As for President Rodrigo Duterte's warning that he will block another ABS-CBN franchise, Speaker Cayetano said that it is actually between the President and the network alone as he is sure that the latter has legitimate criticism.
"So, that's between ABS-CBN and the President because I'm sure the President has legitimate criticism.", he uttered.
It has been said that President Duterte has been outraged by ABS-CBN's refusal to publish his political ad during the 2016 Presidential Elections in spite of the payment the network received.
Source: PEP Ph
“But I'd rather have it in a hearing, diretsuhan, face to face, and talk about it. I'll just assure the public, whether they are for or against ABS, that we will do it with due process and we will find a conclusion that is acceptable to everyone but will be good for the country," the House Speaker exclaimed.
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| President Rodrigo Duterte | Photo credit to Mirror |
As for President Rodrigo Duterte's warning that he will block another ABS-CBN franchise, Speaker Cayetano said that it is actually between the President and the network alone as he is sure that the latter has legitimate criticism.
"So, that's between ABS-CBN and the President because I'm sure the President has legitimate criticism.", he uttered.
It has been said that President Duterte has been outraged by ABS-CBN's refusal to publish his political ad during the 2016 Presidential Elections in spite of the payment the network received.
Source: PEP Ph
