After 12 hearings, four months, and countless controversies, ABS-CBN network’s franchise renewal has been rejected by the committees on legislative franchises in the House of Representatives.
A total of 85 of the 92 members of the committees were present to vote, with the “Yes” votes dominating the floor. Seventy (70) voted “Yes" to the denial of ABS-CBN's franchise renewal. Eleven (11) voted “No,” in favor of granting a franchise, while one (1) abstained and two (2) inhibited from voting. Seven voting members of the committees and ex-officios were absent from the vote.
The technical working group's recommendation to Congress was to reject the network's franchise renewal. As such, the vote "Yes" was in favor of franchise rejection, while the vote "No" was in favor of franchise renewal.
Despite the results, ABS-CBN can still file for reconsideration or a House member can file an entirely new franchise application, which will require more hearings and deliberations.
However, if that is the case, the fate of ABS-CBN will rest in the hands of congressmen who can refuse to act on the bill and let it sit in limbo until the end of president Rodrigo Duterte’s term in 2022.
