UP PGH doctor speaks up on ABS CBN franchise denial: "The franchise granted by the state is A PRIVILEGE, NOT A RIGHT."

Photo from Facebook

“The franchise granted by the state is A PRIVILEGE, NOT A RIGHT.”

This is what the University of the Philippines Professor, and a Doctor, Francisco Pascual Tranquilino said about the franchise issue of ABS CBN.

Tranquilino is a UP PGH doctor specializing in Cardiology and staunch supporter of President Rodrigo Duterte.

For him, the franchise must be granted to those who are deserving applicants. He also said what happened to the giant network is not an issue of freedom of the press.

Below is his full post:

The franchise granted by the state is A PRIVILEGE, NOT A RIGHT.

Therefore, it must be awarded ONLY TO DESERVING applicants.

Huwag ilihis ang usapan sa kung anu-anong isyu. Hindi ito isyu sa karapatang pantao o pagsupil sa malayang pamamahayag, walang kinalaman ang covid dito at lalung-lalo nang hindi ito panggigipit ng gobyerno.

Simple lang ang isyu. May mga paglabag sa saligang batas at iba pang regulasyon, hindi pagbabayad ng tamang buwis at maling pangangalaga sa mga manggagawa.

Kung gayon, hindi karapat dapat pagkalooban ng pribilehiyo ng prangkisa.

After 12 hearings the House Committee on Legislative Franchises on Friday rejected the franchise application of the ABS-CBN Corporation.

This, after the House Committee on Legislative Franchises adopted a resolution — based on the work of a hastily formed technical working group — denying the franchise application of ABS-CBN Corporation to construct, install, establish, operate and maintain radio and broadcasting stations in the Philippines.

Seventy congressmen upheld the resolution and rejected the franchise bills while the 11 “negative” votes sought to grant the Kapamilya network a new congressional license to operate a broadcast network.

During the hearings, lawmakers played key roles in presenting flaws and violations of the franchise license allegedly committed by the ABS-CBN management. The lawmakers were Deputy Speaker and Sagip Party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta; Deputy Majority Leader Crispin Remulla (NP, Cavite) and Reps. Mike Defensor (Anakalusugan); Eric Go Yap (ACT CIS Party-list); Abraham Tolentino (PDP-Laban, Cavite); and Claudine Bautista (DUMPER PSTD).

Meanwhile, the defense panel includes Deputy Minority Leader and Bayan Rep. Carlos Zarate and Reps. Rufus Rodriguez (Independent, Cagayan de Oro City); Edcel Lagman (Independent, Albay); and  Sol Aragones (NPC, Laguna).