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By DJ YaP
@deejayapINQ
The opposition Makabayan
bloc filed on Monday the
roth bill seeking the renewal
of the franchise of ABS-CBN,
warning that the country
was walking "at the edge of
a knife" of authoritarianism
with the broadcast giant "on
the verge of a shutdown.t'
ABS-CBN'S license will
lapse on March 30, but Con-
gress will be in session onlv
until March 1L
i Casfto of ACT Teachers, and
In filing House BiIl No.
6dSZ the -six.member pr6=.
gressive'trldc urged Congress
to extend the network s 25-
.year franchise, which had re-
mained in limbo as aresult of
lack of administration back-
ing and President Duterte's
threats to block its renewal.
tt
Personal grudge
"The shutdown of ABS-
CBN due to a mere personal
grudge by the Chief Execu-
tive is evocative oftlle forced
shutdown of radio ahd TV
Stations. during the Marcos
martial rule in
1972," the
Makabayan lawmakers said
in an erelanatory note.
'In fac! ABS-CBN was pad-
locke4 and eventually seques-
tered and became one of the
' TV sations conholled by Mar-
cos and his cronles during tfiat
dreaded er4" they recalled.
The Makabayan bloc is
' composed of Representa-
tives Ferdinand Gaite, Carlos
Zarate and. Eufemia Culla-
mat of Bayan Muna, Arlene
Brosas of Cabriela, France
Sarah Elago of Kabataan.
,
They said Congress' re-
tusal to extend ABS-CBNt
franchise "could be construed
as an act against the Constitu-
tionally-protected freedoms,
especially of the right to a free
and independent preis." wo
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