“ABS-CBN did not send an emissary to bribe any lawmaker to vote in favor of our franchise application,” the media network said in a statement.
ABS-CBN said it has participated in the proper process to address issues hounding the network, regarding supposed franchise violations.
“We believe in the process and we have participated in the process. We answered all issues raised in the past 12 hearings,” it added.
On Wednesday night, the night before the House panel wraps up its deliberations on the franchise application, ACT-CIS Partylist Rep. Eric Yap claimed that a supposed emissary of the media network attempted to bribe him to vote for the granting of the franchise in exchange for ₱200 million.
“More than two weeks ago, may tumawag sa atin, nagpakilalang emisaryo ng ABS-CBN at hinimok tayong bumoto pabor sa ABS-CBN kapalit ng ₱200 million,” he said in a statement.
[Translation: More than two weeks ago, somebody called me up, introduced himself as an emissary of ABS-CBN and offered me to vote in favot of the netwok in exhange for ₱200 million.]
Yap said he denied such offer, and did not tell the media at once because he himself was not sure of the validity of the person who supposedly reached out to him.
Yap, an administration-allied lawmaker, was among those who grilled ABS-CBN in the past for its supposed violations in tax obligation.
ACT-CIS Partylist presented itself in the past as an advocate for the protection of those in the media industry.
The House committees on legislative franchises and good government and public accountability will wrap up the deliberations on ABS-CBN’s franchise application on Thursday afternoon, through the summation of all the issues that were discussed in the past hearings.
A total of 12 hearings which covered at least 11 pending House bills were tackled in consideration of the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN since May.
ABS-CBN chairman emeritus Gabby Lopez and chief executive officer Carlo Katigbak were among the top officials who answered queries of lawmakers on supposed violations in franchise, ownership, and labor practices, among others. The twelfth hearing was held last Monday, raising issues on the network’s supposed biases in reporting.
Legislative franchises committee chair Rep. Franz Alvarez said no schedule of voting has been set for now.
Over 90 lawmakers, composed of legislative franchises committee members and House leaders who are ex-officio members, are expected to decide on the fate of the embattled broadcast network, after it was shut down on May 5 when its franchise lapsed.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 9) — Broadcast giant ABS-CBN Corp. on Thursday refuted allegations of bribing a lawmaker in favor of its franchise bid.
CNN Philippines’ Tristan Nodalo contributed to this report.
