Dumper PTDA Party-list Representative Claudine Diana Bautista makes a manifestation: This is not a show but a function of our democratic process. #ABSCBNfranchise

Rep. Mike Defensor: Dapat mabigyan ng linaw 'yung pagiging 'king maker' umano ng ABS-CBN. Sila ba ay tumutulak ng isang kandidato, partikular na ang presidente, upang maitulak din ang negosyo? Ito ang kritikal na mapag-usapan. #ABSCBNfranchise

Rep. Jose Antonio Sy-Alvarado: Sana ay huwag natin direktang atakihin ang mga miyembro ng komiteng ito lalo na sa social media. #ABSCBNfranchise

Alvarado: Si Congressman Remulla, meron ding higit 100,000 views yung pamba-bash sa kanya sa kabila ng paghingi niya ng paumanhin. #ABSCBNfranchise

Alvarado: Si Rep. Micaela Violago, na-bash. Sa isyu ng labor, hindi raw niya pinag-aralan. Pero alam ko, todo-review itong mga ito. Alam ko rin na may stance siya bilang isa sa mga author ng #ABSCBNfranchise bill.

Rep. Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla: After my experience for the past 6 days of being the subject of many organized attacks in social media, I have gone to the NBI to complain about the cyber bullying being done to my person and other members of the House. #ABSCBNfranchise

Remulla: It seems that trolls farm were employed by some parties. #ABSCBNfranchise

LOOK: ABS-CBN Head of News Digital Lynda Jumilla and Head of Integrated News & Current Affairs Ging Reyes take their oath at the House hearing on the #ABSCBNfranchise.

Reyes: Nais kong bigyan ng diin ang paglilingkod o serbisyo na sinisikap naming ihatid sa publiko -- ito 'yung journalism as public service. #ABSCBNfranchise

Reyes: Every reporter, writer, producer, anchor, and editor knows that what we do is not just a job, but a response to a call to tell the truth and work for a cause greater than ourselves. #ABSCBNfranchise

Reyes: The shutdown has deprived more than 69 million Filipinos of the kind of information, analysis, commentary, and public service provided by ABS-CBN News. #ABSCBNfranchise

Reyes: Since our return to air in 1986, we have endeavored to perform our duty as a news organization. As professional journalists, we strive to keep biases in check, and to report newsworthy events and issues in an accurate, fair, and balanced manner. #ABSCBNfranchise

Reyes: The very nature of journalism, of truth-telling, is public service. Alam po yan ng bawat kasamahan namin na sumalubong sa bagyo, lindol, o pagsabog ng bulkan, para maihatid ang kuwento ng pinagdaraanang krisis ng mga mamamayan. #ABSCBNfranchise

Reyes: Our first loyalty is to citizens. Our primary obligation is to the truth. #ABSCBNfranchise

Reyes: Pero tulad ng ibang bahagi ng aming kumpanya, hindi kami perpekto--wala pong news organization na perpekto. Gayunpaman, agad din po kaming umaaksyon para itama ang mga mali. #ABSCBNfranchise

Rep. Mike Defensor air grievances against ABS-CBN Corporation's position paper. #ABSCBNfranchise

Defensor to ABS-CBN: Dito po sa position paper niyo, nakalagay, "in recent days, a suggestion has been put forward to allow ABS-CBN to operate, but without the news division on account of supposedly biased, one sided reporting. #ABSCBNfranchise

Defensor: Nakalagay dito, ''If carried out, not only would this render 1,000 news personnel jobless, it would send a strong & terrifying message that the press is being silenced. " #ABSCBNfranchise

Defensor: For ABS-CBN to take this position, I'll take offense. Wala po akong sinabi na ganito. Wala akong sinasabi na sa pagbigay ng prangkisa n'yo, 'wag magkaroon ng news and public affairs. I never said that. #ABSCBNfranchise

Rep. Carlos Zarate: This is a general statement of fact. I'm not sure if the honorable Defensor is alluded, but general statement of fact 'to ng mga ayaw sa ABS-CBN. If this is the statement of ABS-CBN, hindi natin pwede i-conclude na mali ang kanilang posisyon. #ABSCBNfranchise

ABS-CBN President & CEO Carlo Katigbak: Congressman Mike, sorry po, hindi po 'noted' yung sagot namin. I want to take responsibility for what was written in this position paper. I didn't realize it was an allusion to you. #ABSCBNfranchise

Former ABS-CBN news anchor Kata Inocencio: In the 15 years I have served in ABS-CBN News in various capacities, we, in the News division, have never been instructed to play favorites nor make stories in favor or against anyone, nor to play partisan politics. #ABSCBNfranchise

Inocencio: I have known ABS-CBN News head Ging Reyes since 1986. She is a woman of integrity and practices the ethical standards of a broadcast journalist. She will never take wrongdoings sitting down. #ABSCBNfranchise

Inocencio: I left ABS-CBN in 2001 not because I was disgruntled, but because I was called to serve God in full-time Christian ministry. #ABSCBNfranchise

Former newscaster Jay Sonza, who left the broadcast industry in 2010, talked about instances of ABS-CBN's supposed biased reporting

WATCH:

Sonza denied calling Rep. Micaela Violago "bayaran" in any of his social media posts

National Artist Kidlat Tahimik: Hindi po ako narito para sa panig at depensa or prosecution of ABS-CBN. Bilang isang cultural worker, I think it's important na isama ang kultura ng Pilipino and the responsibilities of the broadcasting industry to our culture. #ABSCBNfranchise

Kidlat Tahimik: When commercial broadcasting has its own momentum, maybe there are questions on the impact of this kind of broadcasting sa Pilipino. #ABSCBNfranchise

Kidlat Tahimik: The bias or the skew that comes from the preponderance of advertising will change what the audience can see or what they cannot see. There are many films or programs that cannot be shown because they are not 'patok sa takilya'. #ABSCBNfranchise

Kidlat Tahimik: Is there no room on prime time TV to enrich and uplift audiences, to enlarge capacities of our children?
#ABSCBNfranchise

Kidlat Tahimik: I think a lot of our programs are patterned after the programs na papatok, which come from abroad. Unless we take our storytelling with our cultural filters, we will remain copycats of foreign programming. Ang biktima is going to be the Filipino people.

Rep. Janette Garin: I am opposed to any depletion or removal of our co-Filipinos insofar as jobs that they have is concerned. However, we cannot simply use the cloak of protecting our employees without making sure that we stand by the mandate that was given to us
#ABSCBNfranchise

Rep. Garin, who was a former health chief, lamented erroneous airing of a report on a "flesh-eating bacteria" back in 2014

ABS-CBN News Head Ging Reyes: Hours after airing, that story was flagged and our attention was called. We immediate launched an investigation into the erroneous airing of the story and imposed severe disciplinary actions against our erring journalists at that time

Reyes: We also made sure that we tightened our editorial controls in terms of stories that were being covered and aired. I also sent the team to talk to provincial officials to see how our news division can help them in dealing with the impact of that story
#ABSCBNfranchise

Rep. Garin discussed "sensational" reporting on the Christine Silawan case which she claims led to wrongful detention of a teenager
#ABSCBNfranchise

Garin claims the late DOH Asec. Lyndon Lee-Suy was "victimized by impunity that sometimes happen in a very big corporation" when a 2-page letter accusing him of corruption and incompetence was read on the news #ABSCBNfranchise

Garin asks ABS-CBN for evidence, statement on deaths due to Dengvaxia vaccine

Reyes: We sought info from various sources, including experts, officials, previous and present, of the DOH. They gave us diverse opinions and observations about the vaccine, and how it was selected.

Reyes: I myself received feedback that some of our interviews with non-experts tended to alarm people. As a result of that, I acted on it immediately, and we dealt with the commentator as well. We also put an end to stories on Dengvaxia that tended to cause alarm
#ABSCBNfranchise

Reyes says she is not familiar with reading of letter against Lee-Suy: However, we are a large news organization, and sometimes mistakes were made. We are far from perfect. We acknowledge that we make mistakes, and we try our best to correct them in a timely manner.

Garin: Sa dami-dami ng specialty organizations whose idea and inputs will not be biased. bakit po ba kailangan na ang inyong sasabihin sa larangan ng kalusugan ay nakatutok lang sa isang tao?

Garin: If you are indeed doing your research, no less than the World Health Organization have repeatedly told you that the vaccine (Dengvaxia) doesn't cause deaths. Bakit po ba paulit-ulit niyo pa ring ginagawa iyon?

Garin: Ginamit niyo po ba ang Dengvaxia para mapalapit at akala niyo mapapalapit kayo kay Pangulong Duterte by hitting the previous admnistration?

ABS-CBN President and CEO Carlo Katigbak: Hindi po, your honor.
#ABSCBNfranchise

Garin earlier heavily insinuated that "irresponsible journalism," particularly reportage on Dengvaxia, led to reemergence of polio among other infectious diseases because of low confidence on vaccines
#ABSCBNfranchise

Rep. Benny Abante: This committee hearing, I would even want to convince myself, is not about politics, but about law. My decision either to support the #ABSCBNfranchise or not will not be based on personalities, on politics, but must be based on law

Abante: Is ABS-CBN following the 2004 implementing rules and regulations of Presidential Decree No. 1986, as updated on October 2012, on TV classification, applying contemporary Filipino cultural values as standard? #ABSCBNfranchise

Rep. Abante now presenting instances where ABS-CBN were flagged by MTRCB for inappropriate content
#ABSCBNfranchise

WATCH:

Rep. Abante: Do you have a morality issue? Have you forsaken contemporary Filipino values in favor of ratings?

#ABSCBNfranchise

ABS-CBN COO Cory Vidanes: We comply po with MTRCB TV classifications. Kung mayroon unresolved issues po, we present our position to the adjudication committee of MTRCB. We come up with agreements and changes moving forward
#ABSCBNfranchise

Vidanes: Iisa po ang ating layunin na mapangalagaan ang moral and spiritual values ng pamilyang Pilipino.
#ABSCBNfranchise

Vidanes: We tell stories that teach life lessons and our stories embody Filipino values like hard work, honesty, respect, resilience, and most of all, love for family, country and God. Dahil ang sentro ng aming kwento ay ang pamilyang Filipino
#ABSCBNfranchise

Vidanes: We have continued to work on improving our content through the years. There's no intention to serve trash dahil mahal namin ang aming audience.
#ABSCBNfranchise

Vidanes: Showtime and Vice Ganda, gusto lang po niya ay magpasaya ng mamamayang Pilipino. They don't have deliberate intention to hurt anybody. Yes, they have to be very, very responsible. They try their best to self-regulate. If there are some excesses, they are quick to make up

Abante: Dapat magkaroon tayo ng self-regulation, not just because the MTRCB says so. #ABSCBNfranchise

Vidanes: When there are slips, we make sure we deal with it immediately and everybody in our team can attest to it po. #ABSCBNfranchise

Vidanes: Sana po imbis na specific scenes lang ang makita natin, sana ma-appreciate natin yung kabuuan ng programa at yung nadadala at nadudulot niyang pag-asa at inspirasyon sa aming manonood
#ABSCBNfranchise

Abante asks MTRCB: Why is it that you're only warning our television networks after airing what we may say are violations of the rules?

MTRCB: We only review one sample episode. The networks for the next 13 weeks would exercise self-regulation, making sure that the succeeding episodes conform with the rating given based on sample submitted and reviewed by the Board
#ABSCBNfranchise

Abante: Should there be stricter guidelines on television, different from movies?

MTRCB: It is a different set of parameters, yes.
#ABSCBNfranchise

Abante: If ever we are going to give you a 25-year franchise, would there be changes in your programming?

Vidanes: Yes, Your Honor. #ABSCBNfranchise

Rep. Sol Aragones inquired about ABS-CBN's journalism process, which includes news gathering, reporting, rectifying errors
#ABSCBNfranchise

WATCH:

Aragones asks KBP: Paano niyo ilalarawan ang ABS-CBN as a broadcasting company na miyembro ninyo?

KBP: Ang ABS-CBN has been a member of good standing, very active po sila sa maraming committees, and they are always represented sa Board of Trustees ng KBP.

Rep. Abraham Tolentino: Nais ko lamang ipahatid, maaaring personal o parochial ang aking manifestation, pero ito ay magpapatunay na bias, para sa akin, ang ABS-CBN. Naranasan kong personal, 2013, mahirap lumaban na ang kalaban mo ay taga-ABS-CBN. #ABSCBNfranchise

ABS-CBN President and CEO Carlo Katigbak: I would like to make a public commitment that any public official will be given air time on ABS-CBN to express their side on any issue that is being raised against them. (1/2)
#ABSCBNfranchise

Katigbak: That is a commitment po by the owners, by the management. We are instructing our organization to please take note of this instruction. (2/2)
#ABSCBNfranchise

Rep. France Castro: Ano po ba ang ibig sabihin ng "biased" reporting as defined po sa organisasyon ninyo?

KBP: Doon po sa broadcast code, sa mga news straight reporting lang po, statement of facts... Sa public affairs program, baka doon po lumabas ang biased reporting.

KBP: When there is a controversial issue, you have to give equal opportunity to both sides to be heard.

KBP: We adhere to the laws of the land; iyon ang unang sinusunod natin sa self-regulation.

Rep. Gabriel Bordado: With all the allegations laid out before us, we still go back to the most important issue-- that the broadcasting company is guilty of biased reporting. But can journalism be truly and completely free of bias? #ABSCBNfranchise

Bordado: As human beings, our way of thinking, perceiving, our understanding of the world are inherently influenced by the kind of culture, environment, and society we grew up in. These factors affect how we come to our decisions. #ABSCBNfranchise

Bordado: The American Press Institute recognizes the inevitability of bias in journalism, stating that in the right circumstance, bias need not be a bad thing. It can make information more understandable, lending humanity to facts and even prompting to right a wrong.

Bordado: It is therefore important for a journalist to not only acknowledge its existence but also to learn how to manage it through remaining objective in testing data and materials so as not to let their biases undermine the accuracy of their work
#ABSCBNfranchise

Rep. Jesus Crispin Remulla questions how ABS-CBN covered its own franchise application
#ABSCBNfranchise

WATCH:

ABS-CBN news chief Ging Reyes: Malawakan po talaga ang naging coverage namin sa franchise hearings. Unang una dahil historic po ito... Sinisiguro ko po sa inyo, apat halos ang news teams na nakabantay sa hearings.
#ABSCBNfranchise

Reyes: Sa loob ng TV Patrol po, ilang beses po namin inilalabas ang highlights ng hearings at lagi pong naroroon ang akusasyon laban sa ABS-CBN at ang sagot. So andoon po ang lahat ang pinakamahahalagang bahagi na natatalakay sa ating hearings.
#ABSCBNfranchise

Remulla: Ang sinasabi niyo po totally fair ang inyong coverage ng #ABSCBNfranchise, na lahat ng nangyare dito, inilabas niyo talaga?

Reyes: Yes, Your Honor. Kayo po ay laging naroon sa aming pagbabalita kahit na po ang inyong maraming posisyon ay hindi pabor sa ABS-CBN

Remulla: Kung makita ng committee na kayo ay nagkaroon ng pagkukulang at hindi pa kayo mabigyan ng prangkisa? Ito ba ay press freedom issue?

Reyes: Naninindigan po ako na magiging kabahagi niyan ang isyu ng malayang pamamahayag, Your Honor
#ABSCBNfranchise

Remulla: Kapag mabigyan kayo ng prangkisa, walang isyu ng press freedom. Kapag di kayo nabigyan ng prangkisa, masama kami dahil nag-violate kami ng press freedom? Yoon po ang blackmail niyo sa 'min?

Reyes: I am not blackmailing this honorable body
#ABSCBNfranchise

Remulla: Ano ho ang tawag niyo doon, kasi naririnig ko na agad na kung di kayo mabigyan ng prangkisa, babanatan niyo kami. Ganoon ho yon?

Reyes: No, Your Honor. Hindi po namin kayo babanatan. Sasabihin lang ho natin kung ano ang magiging outcome ng hearings ng Kongreso

Reyes: Yung tungkol po sa pag-aalipusta ng tao sa gobyerno, hindi po yan ang aming trabaho. Kung magkataon lang po na hindi maganda ang aming coverage sa ibang opisyal, ito po ay dahil sa factual basis na nakikita ng aming mamamahayag. We uncover wrong doing in many places

Katigbak: In the last 11 hearings, napakinggan namin ang lahat ng sa tingin ng Kongreso ang mga pagkukulang ng ABS-CBN... Hindi rin kami arogante na hindi nakikinig sa mga sinasabi ninyo. Alam po namin na maraming kailangan ayusin, ireform sa ABS-CBN. (1/2)

Katigbak: Handa po kaming gawin lahat yan mabigyan lang ng pagkakataong ituloy ang operation ng ABS-CBN (2/2)

Remulla: To the extent na aamin kayo sa mga pagkakamaling nakikita ng komiteng ito. Aaminin niyo ba nagkamali kayo sa ilang bagay na di niyo dapat ginawa at talagang nakasama sa bansang ito?

Katigbak: Mayroon kaming tatanggapin na pagkukulang po, pero sinasabi po namin na wala kaming nilabag na batas

Remulla brings up a social media post last week which allegedly shows an ABS-CBN engineer turning off AMCARA signal after the NTC issued an alias cease and desist order
#ABSCBNfranchise

Remulla puts a motion to investigate Amcara under the House committee on good government and public accountability as he maintains his claim that the relationship between Amcara and ABS-CBN is a usufruct and not blocktime agreement

Rep. Janette Garin laments circulation again on social media of an old report where she supposedly apologized over Dengvaxia
#ABSCBNfranchise

Garin: Hindi po ako ininterview ng TV Patrol kagaya ng lumalabas diyan. Talaga pong haka-haka yan. Pwede niyo po ba ma-research kung anong forum ako nagsasalita at tila obvious na hinati at pinagdugtong
#ABSCBNfranchise

Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. scrutinizes ABS-CBN's position paper on its alleged failure to air President Duterte's political ad during the 2016 elections

WATCH:

Barzaga on broadcasting political ads: Paano ba ang policy niyo dahil tinatanggap niyo ang bayad, pero hindi naman pala sufficient ang inyong air time?
#ABSCBNfranchise

Katigbak: Tinatanggap po ng mga ahente namin kasi may mga request na galing sa ahensiya na tanggapin po at kung may umatras or hindi matuloy ay ipasok na lang ang telecast order nila.

Barzaga: At tama ba na sa pag-request ng ahente ay tinatanggap na ang bayad?

Katigbak: Tama po

Barzaga: Bakit kayo humingi ng public apology sa ating Pangulo pagkalipas ng 4 taon at ang paghingi pa ng paumanhin ay nangyare sa Senate hearing kung saan pinag-uusapan ang inyong prangkisa?

Katigbak: Inamin po namin na late ang pag-issue ng refund check
#ABSCBNfranchise

Katigbak: Tama po kayo, Mr. Chair. Dapat mas maaga na kaming humingi ng paumanhin sa Presidente. Yun lang nakahanap kami ng pagkakataon dahil pinag-uusapan na rin ang issue ng refund o yung hindi pag-ere ng refund.
#ABSCBNfranchise

Katigbak: Yung ahente po namin, sinasabihan yung advertising agency na puno na yung spots (for political ads) at there is a very small chance that we will be able air. Pero pinapakiusapan po ang ahente namin na tanggapin ang order on the chance na magkaroon ng bakante na spots

Katigbak on delayed issuance of refund for unaired 2016 political ads: Pagkukulang po namin yun. Pero hindi na naulit noong 2019 elections
#ABSCBNfranchise

Barzaga asks ABS-CBN when the network informed President Duterte's camp that it will refund the unaired political ads

Katigbak: Hindi na po tinanggap yung P2.6-M, pero yung pag-i-inform ay nangyare noong May 26, 2016

ABS-CBN counsel: After we were informed of the acceptance of apology, the President said to donate the amount to a charity

Barzaga: Kailan niyo dineposito ang amount?

ABS-CBN: March 12, 2020

Barzaga: The amount of P2.66-M was donated in the name of President Duterte to the House of Hope for Kids with Cancer?

ABS-CBN: Tama po

Barzaga: Nagkaroon ba ng press release kaugnay ng donation in the name of the President?

ABS-CBN: Wala po

Barzaga: Hindi ba newsworthy na may donation ang pangulo na P2.66-M sa House of Hope for Kids with Cancer?

Reyes: I was not made aware of the donation.

Barzaga: Whenever the President has done anything, whether official or unofficial, that is newsworthy. Do you agree with me?

Katigbak: Yes po.

Barzaga: It's not yet late. Better late than never. Perhaps you can make the publication tomorrow
#ABSCBNfranchise

Rep. Lito Atienza: Ang masakit lang na pangyayare is one-third of our time was consumed by the Dengvaxia issue, which has nothing to do with the franchise application and the issues involved.
#ABSCBNfranchise

Atienza: In your official as head of KBP, would you now consider ABS-CBN a major violator of people's trust and unfair practice or would you rather say na ang nangyayare sa ABS-CBN ay nangyayare sa lahat ng channel?

KBP: Pangkaraniwan po ito. I would say actually mas marami po kaming naririnig na kaso sa mga miyembro po natin sa probinsya. Pero sa ABS-CBN, out of the 11 times na nireklamo, 3 lang ang naging kaso talaga. May mas malala sa kanila.

Atienza: Rep. Barzaga brought out an important problem in our electoral process. Yung nangyayare sa non-airing of paid for pol ads have been going on for the past many elections. Dahil in any campaign, ang media ay pinapakyaw ng malalaking political backers

Atienza: To Rep. Garin who practically monopolized one-third of this session, my piece of advice to you, wag mo na masyadong ipaliwanag at idepensa ang sarili mo.

Atienza on cases on Dengvaxia-linked deaths vs Garin: The DOJ has already recommended your indictment... Prepare yourself for your legal defense and not in this congressional hearing. Your cause and you case has nothing to do with #ABSCBNfranchise application.