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Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo attends President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address at the Opening of the 19th Congress on July 24, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

RG Cruz

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/171108486424720230724-sona-2023-bbm-batasan-0320.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo attends President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address at the Opening of the 19th Congress on July 24, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News "/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(51, 51, 51);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo attends President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address at the Opening of the 19th Congress on July 24, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</span> </span></span></span></div><div><span dir="ltr" id="isPasted"></span></div><p>Former President and Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Duterte Youth party-list Rep. Drixie Mae Cardema are among the House lawmakers who voted no to a bill stripping Swara Sug Media Corp., which runs SMNI, of its congressional broadcast franchise.</p><p>&quot;Voted NO for the revocation of the SMNI because SMNI helped candidates Bongbong Marcos &amp; Sara Duterte during the campaign and is helping the AFP/PNP fight the NPA’s leftist youth recruitment,&quot; Cardema told ABS-CBN News.</p><p>Arroyo&#x27;s dissenting vote was confirmed to ABS-CBN by her office&#x27;s Lance Chua Suarez.</p><p>Arroyo is a close ally of former President Rodrigo Duterte who has been named administrator of the properties of Pastor <span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">Apollo Quiboloy, founder of the</span> <span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">Kingdom of Jesus Christ, </span>which is being linked to SMNI or the <span dir="ltr" id="isPasted">Sonshine Media Network International. </span></p><p>Quiboloy is the firm&#x27;s honorary chairman. </p><p>Cardema&#x27;s party-list, which carries Duterte&#x27;s name, is a known ally of the former president&#x27;s camp.</p><p>Duterte&#x27;s son Paolo is congressman of Davao City&#x27;s First District but his office has yet to issue a statement on his vote.</p><p>House records show that out of the 308 congressmen, 284 voted yes to House Bill 9710, while 4 abstained.</p><p>Other media reports named Kabayan Rep. Ron Salo as a dissenting vote, but he clarified to ABS-CBN News that he abstained.</p><p>&quot;I have a clear conflict of interest - I had a program in SMNI entitled Kabayan Abroad which discusses pertinent laws, as well as policies, plans and programs of the government, on OFWs,&quot; Salo said in a text message.</p><p>Other lawmakers who confirmed to ABS-CBN about their abstention on House Bill 9710 were Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman and Rizal First District Rep. Michael John Duavit.</p><p>&quot;Abstained on the basis of potential conflict of interest,&quot; Duavit told ABS-CBN, saying he submitted a letter on that matter. &quot;When it comes to franchises I only ever voted for granting or renewal in 6 terms. &quot;</p><p>Duavit said he also inhibited from the renewal of the GMA Network franchise years ago.</p><p>The Duavit clan is one of the 3 major shareholders of the country&#x27;s biggest broadcast network.</p><p>The House has transmitted House Bill 9710 to the Senate for its own action. It cannot be implemented without the Senate&#x27;s nod and if the President vetoes the bill.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/3/21/house-sends-rbh-7-smni-franchise-revocation-bill-to-senate-854">House sends RBH 7, SMNI franchise revocation bill to Senate</a></div><div><ivs-player data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-vid="2992091"></ivs-player></div><script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script><p>Meanwhile, Hataman also told ABS-CBN he voted No to Resolution of Both Houses No. 7 or the economic charter change. </p><p>Others who already explained their no votes after the voting last Wednesday include Camarines Sur Rep. Gabriel Bordado, Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas, ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, and Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel.</p><p>RBH7 was approved on third and final reading on Wednesday with 288 yes votes, 8 no votes and 2 abstentions.</p><p>ABS-CBN is still verifying the identities of the other no votes and abstentions of both RBH 7 and House Bill 9710. This article will be updated as needed.</p><p>The Duterte patriarch has been critical of the current administration&#x27;s push for charter change. His son Rep. Duterte has not yet issued a statement on his vote on RBH 7.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/2/26/charter-change-being-used-for-term-extension-duterte-warns-1038">Charter change being used for term extension, Duterte warns</a></div><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/28/24/i-support-bagong-pilipinas-oppose-charter-change-vp-duterte">I support &#x27;Bagong Pilipinas&#x27;, oppose charter change: VP Duterte</a></div><p>How congressmen vote on every measure on 3rd and final reading is published in the Journal of the House of Representatives. </p><p>However, the Journal for March 20, 2024, the day the House voted on the bill, has not been published yet. Procedurally, it will only be published after the House approves the Journal for that day. That isn&#x27;t expected to happen till the next session day, which is April 29, 2024.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oDYBNCYC7U0?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div>

<p>Ex-President and Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is among the House lawmakers who voted no to a bill stripping Swara Sug Media Corporation of its congressional broadcast franchise.</p>

Ex-President and Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is among the House lawmakers who voted no to a bill stripping Swara Sug Media Corporation of its congressional broadcast franchise.

Who voted no, abstained on SMNI franchise, economic cha-cha?

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Who voted no, abstained on SMNI franchise, economic cha-cha?

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published Mar 22, 2024 01:42 PM PHT

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