Duterte says he will object to renewal of ABS-CBN franchise

(CNN Philippines, November 8) — President Rodrigo Duterte slammed TV network ABS-CBN anew, saying he would object to the renewal of its franchise.

In a speech Thursday during the ceremonial distribution of Certificates of Land Ownership Award to agrarian reform beneficiaries in Malay, Aklan, the President went on a tirade against the network and its chairman emeritus Gabby Lopez, saying they were thieves.

ABS-CBN's franchise is up for renewal in 2020, or two years before the end of Duterte's six-year term.

Duterte recalled how during the presidential campaign period in 2016, he gave money to the network to run his TV ads.

"Alam mo yung ginawa ng mga p*****g i*a kayo, ikaw Gabby. Inuna mo pa yung advertisement ni Trillanes na hindi ikaw. Pinaniraan ako ng mga bata, ay si Duterte killer yan. Sa batas, there was an injunction na hindi pwede yan kasi bawal na gamitin mo ang bata. And yet pumunta talaga kayo, went ahead with the show and made it public," he said.

[Translation: You know what you sons of b*****s did, you Gabby . You went ahead and showed Trillanes' advertisement. Children said, Duterte is a killer. There was an injunction in the law which said that was not allowed because it involved children. And yet you went ahead with the show and made it public.]

Duterte added ₱2 billion — which he said came from a contribution to his campaign — was still with the network.

The President went on to ask why he should not be mad at the network.

"Yung franchise ninyo, matatapos. But let me ask you questions first. Kasi ako talaga mag-object na marenew kayo. Alam mo bakit? Magnanakaw kayo. Estapador. Ginawa ninyo sa amin, marami kami," Duterte said.

[Translation: Your franchise will end. But let me ask you questions first. Because I will really object to your renewal. You know why? Because you're thieves. You're fraudsters. You did that to me, to a lot of us.]

There was no immediate reaction from ABS-CBN.

This is not the first time Duterte had harsh words to say against the network.

In August, he called out ABS-CBN and said he would resign if there was more than ₱40 million in his bank accounts.

cnnphilippines.com/news/2018/11/08/duterte-object-abs-cbn-franchise-renewal.html