Rappler's latest stories on congress
House panels to seek NBI probe into ABS-CBN's 'deception' in hearings
House Senior Deputy Majority Leader Jesus Crispin 'Boying' Remulla wants the National Bureau of Investigation to launch a probe into ABS-CBN, and also into the 'cyberbullying' against lawmakers
House poised to grill ABS-CBN on 2016 election coverage
The 2016 election coverage of ABS-CBN has long been an issue for President Rodrigo Duterte and his allies, including his former running mate, House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano
Makati Business Club again urges lawmakers to renew ABS-CBN franchise
'Equal treatment of all companies – especially by regulators, prosecutors, and lawmakers – will signal that rule of law prevailed,' says the Makati Business Club
Remulla: Amcara Broadcasting Network is ABS-CBN’s ‘dummy’
(UPDATED) Amcara executives admit that its transmitters for its digital services were provided by ABS-CBN, and that Channel 43's airtime was devoted to ABS-CBN's digital channels
Makabayan bloc seeks House probe into StaySafe's data privacy issues
'From the process of selection, effectivity, and data privacy, the interests of the Filipino people are put to great risk,' say progressive lawmakers pushing for the investigation
Caught on video, Remulla sorry for writing note during ‘Lupang Hinirang’
The deputy speaker blames ‘ABS-CBN people’ for ‘playing it up on social media’
ABS-CBN’s Big Dipper, Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation ‘not tax avoidance schemes’
ABS-CBN Group chief financial officer Ricardo Tan also debunks allegations the network supposedly recorded a negative 5% effective tax rate in 2018
In ABS-CBN hearing, House tackles labor conditions in TV networks
Are alleged unfair labor practices even a ground to deny a franchise? Lawyer Tony La Viña says it is up to Congress, where franchise renewals 'are not legal proceedings but political in nature'
Lawmakers threaten graft case vs NTC's Cordoba for allowing ABS-CBN TV Plus to continue
NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba argues ABS-CBN TV Plus and Channel 43 are supposedly covered by the cease and desist order issued versus the network, but the NTC fails to strictly implement its own issuance
After Ressa conviction, lawmaker seeks 1-year prescription period for cyber libel
Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District Representative Rufus Rodriguez says explicitly putting this in the Cybercrime Law would ''put to rest the issue of prescription of the crime of cyber libel'
E. Visayas lawmakers seek review of ‘Hatid Probinsya’ after spike in coronavirus cases
The 14 lawmakers say Eastern Visayas was free from coronavirus cases for weeks until the 'Hatid Probinsya' program was implemented
7 Moro lawmakers want House probe into warrantless arrest of 2 Muslim traders
Manila cops arrest jewelry traders Abdullah Palawan Maute and Saadudin Alawiya in San Andres Bukid, claiming to find illegal drugs in their home
Enrile echoes ABS-CBN: Lopezes did not lose ownership during Martial Law takeover
Martial Law implementer Juan Ponce Enrile tells lawmakers that though the Marcos regime took over ABS-CBN, the title of the facilities 'remained with the owners'
Cayetano, House leaders seek probe into delays in DSWD subsidy program
The ranking lawmakers hit the Department of Social Welfare and Development for its failure to streamline the distribution process, forcing beneficiaries to wait for weeks
Cavite lawmaker: Lopezes got ‘preferential treatment’ over other Martial Law victims
Cavite 4th District Representative Elpidio Barzaga Jr says Martial Law victims are still waiting for their compensation decades after Marcos was ousted
Robredo: Be wary of Ressa verdict's ‘chilling’ effect on citizens’ freedoms
'Silencing, harassing, and weaponizing law against the media sends a clear message to every dissenting voice: Keep quiet or you are next,' warns Vice President Leni Robredo
Lawmakers to Filipinos: Resist repression as Ressa's conviction 'not the last'
(UPDATED) 'We are complicit if we stay silent,' says Senator Risa Hontiveros
House of terror: How the lower chamber let slip a 'killer' bill
The House of Representatives passes a controversial bill that could endanger the progressives, Moros, and Lumad among them due to terrorist-tagging
ABS-CBN's PDR holders have no rights to own, manage network
(3rd UPDATE) ABS-CBN tells a House panel that when it sold Philippine Depositary Receipts to foreign companies, the latter were only entitled to dividends, not shares of stock
Lawmakers' changing of anti-terror bill vote has 'no more bearing' – Villafuerte
Villafuerte – among the closest allies of Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano in the House – slams his colleagues for changing their votes
Floyd brother tells U.S. Congress to 'stop' pain, pass police reform
Philonise Floyd appears in person before a House hearing, where he describes the anguish of watching a video of George's death and demands lawmakers address the systemic problems in law enforcement
Some House members' votes on anti-terror bill incorrectly recorded
Most of the House members voted on the anti-terrorism bill through Zoom or a Viber group chat, methods that are prone to errors when there are a total of 302 lawmakers
Congress transmits anti-terrorism bill to Malacañang
(UPDATED) The anti-terrorism bill is now awaiting the signature of the President, unless he vetoes it. If he decides not to act on it, the bill will lapse into law after 30 days from receipt.
Democrats take a knee in U.S. Congress in George Floyd tribute
They kneel for 8 minutes and 46 seconds to mark the length of time a white police officer pinned his knee on the neck of the 46-year-old Floyd
Marcoleta: Why is Sky Cable allowed to operate with a lapsed franchise?
The NTC cites Executive Order 205 signed by ex-president Cory Aquino in 1987, which 'removed' the franchise requirement for cable TV operators
ABS-CBN accuser Marcoleta asks Gabby Lopez to recite ‘Panatang Makabayan'
Netizens are having none of 1-SAGIP Representative Rodante Marcoleta's antics, calling him a 'joke' for his treatment of the ABS-CBN chairman emeritus
Business groups oppose 'highly divisive' anti-terror bill
During the coronavirus pandemic, what the country needs is 'national unity' and not a bill that 'poses clear and present danger to human rights,' 8 business groups say in a joint statement
Cayetano warns gov't officials over 'inexcusable' Bayanihan law problems
Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano says the House 'will be having an accounting' of the problematic implementation of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act
Cayetano justifies anti-terror bill: ‘Let us read before we criticize’
'Basahin natin before we criticize, because ang daling sabihin eh [na may] repression, wala ng democracy, draconian,' says House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano
House passes P1.5-trillion infra stimulus package to curb unemployment
Under House Bill No. 6920, the government can tap into the fund for 3 fiscal years upon enactment. If passed this year, the funds will be valid until the end of the Duterte administration in 2022.
House OKs bill on coronavirus testing for vulnerable sectors
The bill includes non-medical frontliners and quarantine pass holders who do not exhibit symptoms among those to be prioritized for testing
Bill allowing class opening after August now up for Duterte’s signature
Just like the senators did, representatives unanimously approve on final reading the bill giving the President the power to set the school opening at a later date
'Recovery, not repression': Groups hit passing of anti-terror bill
Various groups across key sectors say the approval of the bill reflects government's misplaced priorities
House approves P1.3-trillion economic stimulus package vs pandemic
44 of the country's biggest business groups back the ARISE Philippines bill, but progressive lawmakers argue that it would only be a Band-aid solution to unemployment
Military ‘pleased’ with Congress passage of anti-terror bill
The bill does not seem to add any new power to the armed forces, says military spokesperson Brigadier General Edgard Arevalo
House panel OKs Bayanihan 2 bill, P162-B standby fund for pandemic response
The P162-billion standby fund would be used to buy RT-PCR test kits and fund cash-for-work programs, low-interest loans, and cash subsidies to those affected and displaced by the pandemic
Once a primary author, Biazon withdraws support, votes no to anti-terror bill
His reason? The House leadership did not allow any lawmaker to propose amendments to the bill that is an exact replica of what senators had passed
Mindanao lawmakers: Anti-terror bill will further incite violence, not end terrorism
'This law is not meant to combat terrorism. It is meant to give the state the power to tag whomever they please as a terrorist. Hindi pa ba tayo natuto?' says House Deputy Speaker Mujiv Hataman of Basilan
'Draconian' anti-terror bill, feared to be used vs gov't critics, hurdles Congress
(3rd UPDATE) The bill would allow the proposed Anti-Terror Council, which would be composed of top Cabinet officials, to order the arrest of people it deems to be terrorists
DOJ asserts: 'Gabby Lopez is a Filipino citizen since birth'
Justice Undersecretary Emmeline Aglipay Villar also tells a joint House panel that ABS-CBN chairman emeritus Gabby Lopez did not lose his Filipino citizenship when he used his American passport to travel
Gabby Lopez: I didn't renounce PH citizenship, take U.S. pledge of allegiance
But ABS-CBN's chairman emeritus also admits that he had voted in the 2016 presidential elections in the United States
House OKs on 2nd reading P1.5-trillion infra spending bill vs pandemic
The bill is designed to complement the Balik Probinsya program to help address unemployment caused by the coronavirus crisis
House passes bill on assistance for banks to cushion pandemic effects
The bill aims to provide incentives to financial institutions to sell their non-performing assets affected by the coronavirus crisis
House OKs bill penalizing discrimination vs COVID-19 frontliners, patients, repatriates
If passed into law, the bill would punish violators with jail time between 6 months up to 10 years, or a fine ranging from P50,000 up to P1 million
Anti-terror bill one step away from House final approval
Lawmakers are bent on ratifying the bill into law before Congress adjourns on Friday, June 5.
House one step away from passing P1.3-trillion stimulus package vs pandemic
Lawmakers also approve on 2nd reading a bill requiring the government to prioritize for COVID-19 testing certain ‘vulnerable’ sectors, including Filipino workers
House passes bill increasing campaign expenses’ cap for candidates
If passed into law, HB 6095 would allow candidates for president, vice president, and senators to spend P50 per voter, from the current P10
Cardo vs Calida? SolGen hits back at Coco Martin over ABS-CBN closure
Looks like Cardo Dalisay has earned himself another enemy in the person of the Solicitor General
Calida: ‘I am not at loggerheads with Congress’ over ABS-CBN shutdown
Solicitor General Jose Calida says this weeks after telling the public to blame lawmakers for the closure of ABS-CBN
Representatives Vilma Santos, Loren Legarda defend ABS-CBN: Network ‘went above and beyond’ duty
Sol Aragones and Joy Myra Tambunting also join former ABS-CBN personalities who are now in Congress in pushing for the renewal of the media giant's franchise
