MANILA, Philippines — No schedule has been set yet for voting on whether or not ABS-CBN’s bid for a 25-year franchise will pass the committee level in the House of Representatives, a House leader said Wednesday. While the hearings were jointly conducted by the two House panels, only the 46 members of the legislative franchise committee, as well as the 44 House officials who are considered ex officio members, will be able to vote. If the lawmakers’ votes will be for the franchise renewal, ABS-CBN’s application will be up for discussion in the plenary. House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano has urged lawmakers to vote on conscience on ABS-CBN’s franchise, saying that those who are for the renewal of the network’s franchise should “open their minds” to the side of the opposition and vice versa. So, this is one of the rare cases where representatives will decide for the people,” the House Speaker added.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer July 08, 2020 04:18 UTC