A LEGISLATOR  is seeking the revocation of all congressional franchises issued to private firms from the 8th Congress, which convened in 1987, up to present which have been re-sold or are no longer in the control and ownership of the original franchise holder.

Party-list Rep. Teodorico Haresco of Ang Kasangga said there is a need to conduct a congressional audit on these legislative franchises to find out if these franchises are still in the hands of the original franchise holders or, in some unspecified instances, were already resold to other individuals or corporations.

Haresco made this proposal amid reports that certain congressional franchises such as radio and telecommunication frequencies and other utilities that require a franchise are being secured  only to be resold to the highest bidder.

He said compliance with the full requirement of law, including full approval of Congress in order to secure and operate a congressional franchise, should not be transferable to any group or entity which did not go through the same congressional scrutiny that was subjected to the original franchise holder.

“This practice should be considered illegal because the original holder of the franchise should be the only who is accountable to Congress which issue the franchise in the first place. Congressional franchises should not be treated as mere commodities that can be the subject of trade and commerce because these are embedded with public interest and even some security issues,” Haresco pointed out.

“It is important to re-examine said franchises to make sure these public utilities are still in compliance with the purpose for which they were originally granted franchises,” he added.

The legislator cited Article XII, Section 11 of the 1987 Constitution, which states that:  “Neither shall any such franchise or right be granted except under the condition that it shall be subject to amendment, alteration or repeal by the Congress when the common good requires.”

Haresco said the requested congressional review would help bring to light possible violations of franchises and other related matters, and help Congress work out remedial measures to safeguard public interest and safety.

“We have to look into legal loopholes that compromise public interest,” Haresco stressed.

He noted that while it is the obligation of the companies that were granted franchise to run public utilities, including those related to mass media and telecommunications, to regularly submit periodic reports to Congress with regard to their compliance with the provisions of their franchise, this requirement seems to have been completely ignored soon after the companies managed to secure their franchise.