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| File photo from CNN Philippines |
Naniniwala si Solicitor General Jose Calida na sa
pamamagitan ng pagtanggi na bigyan ng bagong prangkisa ang ABS-CBN Corp ay binigyan
ng katarungan ng House of Representative ang mga Pilipino.
Ito ay patunay rin umano na hindi karapat-dapat sa isang
prangkisa ang higanteng network dahil sa mga paglabag nito.
Ayon kay Calida, ang pagbibigay ng state franchise ay pribilehiyo,
hindi isang karapatan.
“Congress has ascertained that ABS-CBN is unworthy of a legislative
franchise, and its decision must be accorded respect.
“The denial of ABS-CBN’s franchise cannot be characterized
as a restraint on freedom of expression or of the press because the primordial
effect of such denial is the upholding of the constitutional provision and laws
governing media companies like ABS-CBN. Congress has done its duty under the
Constitution, and by its action, the rule of law has been upheld,” ayon sa Solicitor
General
Sa 85 mambabatas, 70 ang bomoto pabor na hindi bigyan ng bagong
prangkisa ang ABS CBN, 11 na may nais na bigyan ito muli ng pagkakataon.
“The 1987 Constitution vests upon Congress the sole power to
review and approve franchises of public utilities. Consequently, ABS-CBN’s
application for a franchise to operate solely depended on Congress’ assessment
as to whether it is deserving of the privilege to use the airwaves of the
State.
“True to its mandate, Congress endeavored to objectively
evaluate ABS-CBN’s qualifications as an applicant for a franchise through the
hearings conducted,” ani Calida
“The decision of the House of Representatives Committee on
Legislative Franchises to deny the franchise application of ABS-CBN was arrived
at after a thorough, exhaustive and painstaking consideration of all arguments.
“Throughout the 13 hearings, the public was witness to the
grueling interpellations made by members of the joint committee on ABS-CBN’s
executives and lawyers as well as on the resource persons from various
government agencies [such as] the Department of Justice, the Bureau of
Immigration, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Philippine
Economic Zone Authority, among others,” dagdag pa niya
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