House recalls ABS-CBN franchise bill to allow interpellations

May 18, 2020

The House of Representatives on Monday recalled the second reading approval of a proposed law granting a provisional legislative franchise to ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp. until October 31 this year to accommodate possible amendments.

House Deputy Majority Leader and Zamboanga Sibugay Rep. Wilter Wee Palma II moved to reconsider the passage of HB No. 6732.

“Mr. Speaker last Wednesday, May 13, 2020, House Bill No. 6732 was reported to the Committee on Rules on First reading and was subsequently approved on second reading on the same day. Records show that the House in the past made use of the same procedure, in fact one of the bills in the 10th Congress was actually enacted into law,” Palma, the acting floor leader, said as his motion was adopted by the House of Representatives through Deputy Speaker and Batangas Rep. Raneo Abu.

“Due to request of our members who wish to make some interpellations and possible amendments on the bill—let me make this of record that at any time the House can approve this bill, House Bill No. 6732 on third reading. But because of the insistence of our colleagues to interpellate further on the matter, I move that we reconsider approval on second reading of House Bill No. 6732,” said Palma.

“The reconsideration of approval on second reading of House Bill No. 6732 is hereby adopted,” said Abu, the presiding officer.

Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and Villafuerte are among the few principal authors of HB No. 6732.

Last Wednesday, the plenary session was initially convened into the Committee of the Whole to approve the measure.

“Providing ABS-CBN with a provisional franchise valid until 31 October 2020 will give both the House of Representatives and the Senate to hear the issues being raised for and against the renewal, and assess, with complete impartiality and fairness, whether or not the network shall be granted a franchise for another 25 years,” the bill said. DMS