MANILA—Congressmen on Monday suspended deliberations on a bill granting a provisional franchise to ABS-CBN, raising fears it may take longer before the broadcast network can return to free TV and radio.

Bulacan Rep. Jose Antonio Sy-Alvarado asked his colleagues to first tackle House Bill No. 6732 at the committee on legislative franchise, a move which could delay efforts to reopen the network, which was shut down on May 5.

Monday’s session was widely expected to pass the bill on second reading, a perceived formality since the chamber had already approved the proposal at this stage last week.

But because the bill was passed on first and second reading on the same day, some congressmen sought to “recall” it for debates and individual amendments to avoid legal questions. The constitution requires approval on “separate days.”

The session gave some legislators an opening to bring up old accusations that ABS-CBN had violated its previous franchise, including laws on labor and foreign ownership in mass media.

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Sy-Alvarado said referring the bill back to the committee level would allow “equal and comprehensive” discussions on the issues against ABS-CBN.

But this could also delay the reopening of the network.

Some congressmen were pushing for deliberations on a new 25-year franchise instead of a temporary one, which would last only until Oct. 31 this year.

“Bakit hindi na lang natin direchong i-hear yung 25 years na franchise ng ABS-CBN? Kasi ito din naman yung gusto ng lahat ng tao. Mapakinggan natin ang lahat ng panig... para once and for all, matuldukan na yung franchise issue na 'to,” said Rep. Eric Yap, chairman of the appropriations committee.

“Kung tayo mapagde-decide natin na ibibigay, ibigay na po. Kung maide-decide natin na hindi po ibibigay, 'wag pong ibigay.”

Yap earlier co-authored a resolution with President Rodrigo Duterte’s son, Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, seeking a congressional investigation into ABS-CBN’s alleged violations of its previous franchise.

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Such issues had been tackled at length during a Senate inquiry last Feb. 24, during which network executives insisted it violated no laws.

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ABS-CBN said on Monday that the Securities and Exchange Commission, the National Telecommunications Commission, and the Bureau of Internal Revenue all testified that the network "had no violations as it relates to their specific agency," and Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello has said in an interview that the company was "fully compliant of labor standards."

Yap said he had been approached by a number of people complaining about alleged labor violations by the network.

Agusan del Norte Rep. Lawrence Fortun sought clarification from his colleagues on whether they were deliberating on a new ABS-CBN franchise or were renewing its old one, which expired on May 4.

“What protection does ABS-CBN have from the possibility of its current frequency from being assigned to another network in the meantime that the franchise bills… are still being heard?” he said.

“Yun lang ang kinakabahala ko because the NTC, at this point, as far as we are concerned, cannot really be trusted.”

House leaders have criticized the National Telecommunications Commission for ordering the shutdown of ABS-CBN despite appeals from both chambers of Congress to keep it on the air while the franchise application was under deliberation.

• ABS-CBN asks NTC to suspend proceedings seeking to recall its frequencies

But the lower chamber was also accused of sitting on the renewal bills after President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to block a new ABS-CBN franchise.

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