The Philippines: Calida finally attends House hearing, reiterates alleged violations of ABS-CBN

• Solicitor General Jose Calida finally attended a congressional hearing on issues linked to the ABS-CBN Corp.’s legislative franchise on 1 Jun 20.
• After skipping Senate and House of Representatives’ legislative inquiries in the past weeks, Calida on 1 Jun 20 attended the Committee on Legislative Franchise’s hearing into several bills filed on ABS-CBN’s franchise and supposed violations of the law.
• Rep. Jonathan Sy-Alvarado, chair of the House’s good government committee, said that Calida and National Telecommunications (NTC) Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba will be given time to “clarify their alleged interference on the exercise of our mandate.”
• Cordoba was earlier asked by the House to explain why he should not be cited in contempt when he did not issue a provisional authority to ABS-CBN despite giving his word to the legislative body in Mar 19.
• Calida, in his opening statement, stressed that he is “not at loggerheads with Congress.” “I only cautioned NTC of its possible encroachment on the legislative power if it issues provisional authority,” the solicitor general told the panel.
• Calida also stressed that he is not allowed “to answer any questions of any matters pending before the Supreme Court.”
• The solicitor general has a pending quo warranto petition against the now-expired franchise of the network before the tribunal. He has also represented the NTC, as legal counsel, on ABS-CBN’s petition for certiorari against the regulatory body’s Cease and Desist Order.

External Link : https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/06/01/2017988/calida-finally-attends-house-hearing-reiterates-alleged-violations-abs-cbn