LAWMAKERS yesterday sought a congressional inquiry into the “purchase agreement” between ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp. and TV5 Network, Inc., saying TV5 may have violated its legislative franchise for allowing the former broadcasting giant to air its shows and contents on free television through its network.
The resolutions were filed even as the House committee on legislative franchises has called for a closed-door briefing today to discuss the issue following a privilege speech delivered by Rep. Rodante Marcoleta (PL, SAGIP) who questioned the agreement.
Marcoleta was among the lawmakers who played a huge role in the denial by the House of
ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal application in the previous 18th Congress.
Quezon Rep. Jay-Jay Suarez, in House Resolution No. 281, urged the legislative franchises panel to look into the alleged franchise violation by “ABC Development Corp., presently known as ‘TV5 Network, Inc.’ due to its block time agreement with ABS-CBN Corp.”
He said that since ABS-CBN was able to ink a block time deal with TV5, it “is now again able to deliver its programs and contents such as ASAP Natin Ito, It’s Showtime, FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano, Mars Ravelo’s Darna and more through free television broadcast.”
Suarez said Section 10 of RA 11320 prohibits the grantee, TV5, “to grant the usufruct of its rights and privileges to any person, firm, company, corporation or any commercial or legal entity without the approval of the Congress of the Philippines.”
He warned that media entities without franchises “may indirectly continue broadcasting their programs and contents on free television through networks with valid legislative franchise which would be a clear circumvention of the law.”
Rep. Jose Jose Teves Jr. (PL, TGP) filed H.R. No. 282 urging the House to look into the airing of ABS-CBN’s prime time news program TV Patrol “which could constitute violations of their legislative franchises.”
For his part, Zamboanga Sibugay Rep. Wilter Palma filed H.R. No. 280 urging the committee on legislative franchises “to look into the alleged foreign ownership of ABC Development Corp., presently known as TV 5 Network, Inc. which could constitute a violation of its franchise.”
“There were published reports alleging that ABC Development Corp., the country’s third major player in the television market and part of a cross-media conglomerate owned by Mr. Manuel V. Pangilinan’s MediaQuest Holdings Inc. under the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) Beneficial Trust Fund which is owned by an Indonesian national,” the resolution said.
If the reports are true, the lawmaker said “then there is a clear violation of the 1987 Constitution and on the terms and conditions of the franchise granted to TV5 Network, Inc.”
But while congressmen opposed the agreement, Sen. Raffy Tulfo, a former broadcast journalist, said he sees no problem with the merger of the two broadcasting networks “for now.”
Tulfo said the merger between TV5 and ABS-CBN, which he described as a “dream team,” will be beneficial to the viewing public since the two broadcasting networks are known to deliver high-quality entertainment and news programs. — With Raymond Africa