Marino party list sponsors House probe on ABS-CBN’s alleged violations: Kampamilya network not exempted from the law

The Marino party list group has recently sponsored a House resolution that seeks to investigate the alleged wrongdoings and other possible violations committed by network giant ABS-CBN.

Party-list Rep. Carlos Lisandro Gonzalez (Marino), during Monday’s joint congressional inquiry of the House committee on legislative franchises and of good government and public accountability, said granting a franchise to big companies like the Lopez-owned media conglomerate “is not a matter to be taken lightly.”

“We have to first guarantee that ABS-CBN complied with the law through their franchise, as it shall serve as the basis for their renewal. This is a question of merit,” Gonzalez said during his sponsorship speech for House Resolution No. 853.

HR 853 was filed by Presidential son and Deputy Speaker Paolo Duterte (Davao City) together with House Committee on Appropriations chair Eric Yap (ACT-CIS Party-list) and Committee on Public Accounts chair Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino (Cavite), directing the Committee on Legislative Franchises to inquire, in aid of legislation, on the probable violations of ABS-CBN Corporation of its legislative franchise under Republic Act No. 7966.

According to Gonzalez, it is the mandate Congress to warrant that corporations like ABS-CBN are “not exemptions to the law, if proven that they violated franchise regulations.”

“As members of the committee, as representatives of different districts and sectors, it is our job to ask crucial questions and scrutinize the data presented to us,” said Gonzalez.

The legislative franchise panel has summoned ABS-CBN chairman emeritus Eugenio “Gabby” Lopez III to shed light over series of allegations being thrown against his company.

Gonzalez is the vice-president for operations and chief operating officer of Ulticon Builders, Inc. according the company’s website profile.

In 2018, Gonzalez’s father, Carlos “Charlie” Gonzalez, who owns Davao City-based Ulticon together with Dennis Uy’s Udenna Development Corporation (UDEVCO), and China Harbour had formed a consortium that was able to secure the P62-billion Manila Bay reclamation project in Pasay City.

The Uy-led consortium has been awarded the multi-billion project which seeks to reclaim and develop 265 hectares of foreshore and offshore areas of Manila Bay located at the western part of Pasay City.

Uy last May 11 denied that he was interested in acquiring the embattled television network from the Lopez family following the cease and desist order issued by the National Telecommunications Commission against ABS-CBN after is legislative franchise under RA 7966 lapsed last May 4.

According to Uy, broadcasting business is not part of Udenna’s corporate direction.

Meanwhile aside from Ulticon, the younger Gonzalez is also the executive vice-president of local fast food chain Tapa King.

Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)