Philippine House panel denies ABS-CBN’s 25-year franchise renewal bid

ABS-CBN employees holding a prayer gathering just before the Philippine congress finalised decision on the broadcast network's franchise renewal, outside the ABS-CBN headquarters in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, on July 9, 2020. - Reuters

MANILA (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN): The franchise renewal bid of media giant ABS-CBN was denied Friday (July 10) by the House of Representatives Committee on Legislative Franchises after a series of hearings.

The vote came after the House legislative franchise and good government and public accountability committees held 13 hearings tackling various issues such as citizenship of the network’s chairman emeritus Gabby Lopez, alleged labor violations, tax-evasion, as well as alleged political bias, among others.