REP. LAWRENCE “LAW” H. FORTUN
Agusan del Norte 1st District
Member for the Minority – Committee on Human Rights
Co-Author, HR 639 supporting the renewal of ABS-CBN Franchises
A lawyer by profession | Mobile number 09177292437
Korte Suprema, pinagkokomento ang Kongreso hinggil sa petisyong TRO ng ABS-CBN
MINORITY SOLON SEEKS COMMON HOUSE STAND ON NTC CEASE AND DESIST ORDER ON ABS-CBN BROADCAST OPERATIONS
Now that the Supreme Court has opted to ask Congress to respond to the ABS-CBN petition for certiorari and prohibition against the NTC cease and desist order, I appeal to my colleagues in the minority bloc that we express to the Supreme Court our collective wisdom on the issues presented in the pending petitions concerning the ABS-CBN legislative franchise.
By collective wisdom, I mean the consensus of the House minority and the commonalities in the positions of the House majority and the minority.
I believe this is a proper course of action because the Supreme Court would need the full spectrum of facts and analyses, so it can rule wisely on the issues.
I also believe we can work with the majority on a united stand embodied in a legal brief submitted to the Supreme Court.
The details can be worked out either in a joint caucus of the majority and minority, rather than in plenary because the plenary agenda is quite full with priority legislations.
I am confident the Supreme Court will respect the jurisdiction of Congress on legislative franchises.
However, there could be a legal wrinkle up ahead if the Supreme Court decides that the quo warranto petition of the Solicitor General remains in play and was not rendered moot and academic by the expiration of the ABS-CBN franchise last May 4.
A further complication is if down the road the two petitions are consolidated because of the overlapping issues and details. This would probably happen.
We are aware of these possibilities. I ask my colleagues in the minority to tackle these matters in our minority caucus because we must be ready for them. (END)
