The fate of the ABS-CBN legislative franchise is expected to be known this week after a joint congressional panel shall have concluded its inquiry into the network’s operations.
A well-informed source disclosed that House Committee on Legislative Franchises, which is jointly conducting the inquiry with the House Committee on Good Government, said leaders of the two panels are eyeing tomorrow as the last day of the hearings, after which, the former will prepare to vote on the network giant’s application for a legislative franchise.
Expected to take up much of the committee debate, albeit limited to the legislative franchise panel, is a proposal to conduct secret balloting on whether or not ABS-CBN should be allowed to reopen and broadcast for another 25 years.
However, Palawan Rep. Francis Alvarez, chairman of the Legislative Franchises panel, said there remains no plans yet for voting.
“Depende pa iyan if matapos na sa Monday ang hearing,” said Alvarez.
A source claimed that the House leadership is eyeing to resolve the ABS-CBN franchise issue before the planned special session of Congress takes place “a week or two” prior to the State-of-the-Nation Address of President Duterte.
“This is the reason why hearings were conducted successively last week,” the congressional source added. (Ben Rosario)