Duterte neutral on franchise row – Palace

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte is neutral on the franchise renewal of broadcast network ABS-CBN and wants members of the House of Representatives to vote “as their conscience dictates,” a Palace official said yesterday.

“He will not take it against them if the franchise bill is passed by Congress or not. He is completely neutral on the issue. Vote as your conscience dictates,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said.

“For as long as there is no constitutional infirmity, then he will not object to the law,” Roque said.

He said the President has no authority to extend or delay the renewal of the network’s franchise.

Roque stressed that Duterte did not intervene with the opinions of Solicitor General Jose Calida and Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, who have different views on the ABS-CBN franchise.

Roque said the President could not influence the decision of the National Telecommunications Commission, which is a quasi-judicial body under the executive branch.

Roque insisted that even if Duterte wanted to approve the franchise renewal, the “President’s hands are tied.”

Malacañang officials defended the President after critics insinuated that the network’s shutdown has “shades of a political vendetta.”

Roque said Duterte accepted the public apology of ABS-CBN president Carlo Katigbak a few months ago.

Since he was elected president in 2016, Duterte has been threatening ABS-CBN with closure. He branded its owners as oligarchs.

In December last year, the President taunted the Lopezes to just sell the network.

Roque and chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo said House members should be blamed for their failure to act on bills seeking franchise renewal of ABS-CBN.

Panelo also rejected comparisons that the present situation was reminiscent of former president Ferdinand Marcos’ actions to suppress the media during martial law.

“When martial law was declared, Marcos had the power to close all telecommunications. The President does not have power over this franchise issue,” Panelo said.

SC case vs ABS-CBN now moot – Guevarra

The quo warranto petition filed before the Supreme Court (SC) by Calida against ABS-CBN in February is now “moot and academic,” Guevarra said yesterday.

Guevarra said the pending case has been overtaken by the recent developments on the network’s franchise.

“The franchise being attacked or assailed by the [Office of the Solicitor General] has expired on May 4. So, for that reason, there is nothing more that is the subject matter of that petition,” Guevarra said in an interview on CNN Philippines. “So, there is nothing to revoke or to cancel anymore.”

In February, Calida asked the SC to void the network’s franchise due to alleged violations such as pay-per-view service and foreign investments in the company. – Evelyn Macairan, Ghio Ong

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