Senators on Friday took a swipe at House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano for blaming the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and Solicitor General Jose Calida for the shutdown of ABS-CBN.
Breaking his silence on the issue, Cayetano, on Friday, hit the NTC for yielding to “pressure” when it issued the cease and desist order against the broadcast giant last Tuesday, May 5.
The House leader also chided Calida for his “unconstitutional meddling” with Congress’ authority over legislative franchise, when he threatened the NTC of graft charges should they grant ABS-CBN a provisional authority to operate sans a valid franchise from Congress.
“Yung frequent handwashing, dapat ginagamit panlaban sa COVID-19, hindi para umiwas sa political accountability,” Hontiveros posted on social media on May 8.
Senator Nancy Binay, meanwhile, posted a cryptic tweet which netizens understood as an allusion to Cayetano.
“Reminds you of who?” she asked netizens, attaching a cartoon of biblical character Pontius Pilate who was known for washing his hands of the execution of Jesus Christ.
Both Binay and Hontiveros have supported ABS-CBN’s continued operations.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III earlier said that “most, if not all of the members of the Senate, are all in favor” of extending ABS-CBN’S franchise.
Some congressmen had also blamed Cayetano for ABS-CBN’s shutdown. Cayetano earlier decided to hold off discussions on ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal, saying it was “not urgent” then and assuring that the network will still be allowed to operate after its franchise has expired.
On Friday, he vowed that the House would do its job about ABS-CBN’s franchise application, although he did not specify when. He maintained that the House proceedings on the matter should be “fair, impartial, thorough and comprehensive”.
Cayetano was a running mate of President Duterte during the 2016 elections, when ABS-CBN failed to air some of the latter’s paid campaign ads. (Vanne Elaine P. Terrazola)
