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WATCH: Marcoleta responds to Liza, Enrique appeal for ABS-CBN franchise

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/life/07/09/20200706-marcoleta-lizquen.jpg"/><figcaption>Sagip party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta addressed Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil in his summation speech on Thursday, ahead of an expected House panel vote on franchise renewal of ABS-CBN. <em>ABS-CBN News/ FILE, Star Cinema</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — Sagip party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta responded on Thursday to a personal message he and his wife received from ABS-CBN stars Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil, who appealed to him to reconsider his stand against the network.</p><p>Marcoleta, one of the staunchest critics of ABS-CBN in the House panel hearing on its franchise, addressed the onscreen and real-life couple during his summation speech, ahead of an expected vote that would determine the fate of the network.</p><p>&quot;Gusto ko pong pasalamatan, bago ako magtapos, si Enrique Gil at Liza Soberano, sa pagbati at pamamanhik na ipinaabot nila sa aming mag-asawa,&quot; Marcoleta said.<script src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&amp;version=v2.5" async="" type="text/javascript"></script></p><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/ogie.diaz.5/videos/3345234252195258" data-width="auto"> </div><p>In a previous hearing, Marcoleta mentioned that his wife is a fan of &quot;Make It With You,&quot; the now-defunct ABS-CBN primetime series that starred Soberano and Gil, which the lawmaker would also watch regularly.</p><p>The couple dubbed &quot;LizQuen,&quot; in a video message, thanked Marcoleta and his wife for supporting &quot;Make It With You,&quot; and then called on the congressman to consider supporting, too, the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN.</p><p>&quot;Naramdaman ko ang kanilang katapatan,&quot; Marcoleta said on Thursday. &quot;Sana po ganoon ang ABS-CBN.&quot; (See the 26:20 mark of the video below.)</p><p>&quot;Sa kanilang dalawa, alam kong mauunawaan nila, na ito po ay tawag lang ng tungkulin. At hinahangad ko ang higit na tagumpay para sa kanila sa mga darating na panahon.&quot;</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wRXbpUB5DU0?enablejsapi=1"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>Soberano, 22, has been one of the most vocal personalities calling for the restoration of ABS-CBN on air, citing the loss of access to entertainment and information for many Filipinos amid a pandemic, as well as the impact on the job security of some 11,000 employees.</p><p>&quot;Make It With You&quot; was one of the ABS-CBN programs that were cancelled as the network grappled with its forced shutdown, on top of the coronavirus pandemic that halted industries.</p><p>ABS-CBN&#x27;s free-TV and radio broadcast have been off air since May 5, when the government issued a cease and desist order a day after the network&#x27;s franchise was left to expire despite an application first filed in Congress back in 2014. Further broadcast platforms of ABS-CBN were ordered shut in June — TVPlus and SKYdirect.</p><p>On Thursday, the House Committee on Legislative Franchises held summations of the last 12 hearings on ABS-CBN&#x27;s franchise renewal. Voting was expected after the summations, determining whether the ABS-CBN franchise bills would go through to plenary deliberations.</p>