CAGAYAN de Oro 2nd District Representative Rufus Rodriguez has appealed to the leadership of the House of Representatives to set the hearing of the resolutions seeking the extension of ABS-CBN franchise for at least a year up to May 4, 2021 to let the network continue its operations.
“Since President (Rodrigo) Duterte has already accepted the apology by ABS-CBN and with the statement of Mayor Sara Duterte supporting the franchise, I appeal to the House leadership to set the hearing of our resolutions,” Rodriguez said.
The Kagay-anon lawmaker said this would also give time for the House to deliberate on the eleven bills extending the franchise for another 25 years.
On Wednesday, February 26, President Duterte said he accepted the apology issued by ABS-CBN president and chief executive officer Carlo Katigbak, but he could not do anything to stop the quo warranto petition against the television network.
“Yes, nandyan na yan. I accept the apology. Of course,” Duterte told reporters after speaking before the National Commission for Culture and the Arts Wednesday.
The President said, however, that his hands are tied with regards to the quo warranto petition filed by the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG).
The petition, which seeks to revoke the legislative franchise of ABS-CBN, is scheduled to be heard by the Supreme Court en banc on March 10, 2020.
“Ang problema kasi nito sa Solgen, once he makes an official statement that there is a violation of law, I cannot tell him to stop... Hindi ko masabihan... The Solgen does not clear with me, unlike the Secretary of Justice,” the President said.
He also reiterated that he has been keeping a “healthy distance” from the network’s application for franchise renewal and stressed that he will not interfere.
“Fundamentally, really ang decision nasa House ngayon, not so much sa Senate, because all of these things must originate sa (lower) House. Forget about all this hullabaloo. The critical move is in the House and, I tell you, I am not going to interfere,” he said.
Asked if he was supportive of ABS-CBN’s application for franchise renewal now that network executives have apologized, he repeated that any decision on the matter lies with the Congress.