MALACAÑANG on Thursday, May 7, branded as “unfair and objectionable” the international news reports associating President Rodrigo Duterte with the closure order against television network ABS-CBN Corporation.
“We decry any claims and assertions associating President Duterte with the National Telecommunications Commission’s independent and impartial decision to impose a cease and desist order against ABS-CBN Corporation,” Andanar said.
“Such claims are bereft of truth and just a rehash of an old malicious imputation to bedevil the President and his administration,” he said.
The Palace official said renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise, which expired on May 4, 2020, is within the jurisdiction of Congress.
“Decision regarding the legislative franchise of ABS-CBN falls within the purview and wisdom of Congress and ABS-CBN has the right to pursue any and exhaust all legal remedies it deems necessary to resolve the matter,” he said.
“It is, therefore, totally unfair and objectionable for some parties and some international media to insist that what happened to the network is due to ‘having incurred the ire’ of the President,” he added.
According to Andanar, the move to stop ABS-CBN broadcast operations is “not an issue of press freedom but an issue regarding legislative franchise.”
“Democracy and the free press and free speech that come with it, is very much alive in the country and effectively protected,” he said.
During a franchise hearing at the Senate on February 24, longtime presidential aide and Senator Christopher “Bong” Go questioned ABS-CBN’s move to air a 30-second advertisement which described as a “black propaganda” funded by the opposition against Duterte during the 2016 presidential elections.
Go also complained that the network failed to air some of Duterte’s political ads and instead aired the “black propaganda” video.
ABS-CBN President and CEO Carlo Katigbak immediately apologized, saying that it was not the network’s intention to offend Duterte.
“We are sorry if we have offended the President. That was not the intention of the network. We felt that we were just abiding by regulations that surround the airing of political ads,” Katigbak said.
Duterte acknowledged the network’s apology two days after. Malacañang reiterated Wednesday that the President is “completely neutral” on the issue and is leaving the matter or renewing the network’s franchise to Congress. (SunStar Philippines)