Malacañang downplayed President Rodrigo Duterte’s earlier threats to block the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN Corporation, saying it is up for the Congress to decide.
The current franchise of ABS-CBN is due to expire on March 2020. A bill for its renewal has been refiled in the House of Representatives, but would still have to undergo Duterte’s scrutiny before being passed into law.
Duterte publicly said he will object ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal in his previous speeches for not airing his paid political advertisements during the 2016 presidential campaign.
But Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo argued the chief executive is not vengeful to halt the operations of the network.
“Baka expression lang ‘yun ng kanyang inis… Basta si Presidente, hindi benggatibong tao, kasi kung benggatibo ‘yan, marami na sigurong nalagas,” Panelo said in an interview with One News’ The Chiefs.
“Congress pa rin ‘yun, sila ang nagbibigay ng franchise [at] nagre-renew,” he reiterated.
ON INQUIRER.NET ISSUE
The Malacañang senior official, meanwhile, said he has accepted the apology of INQUIRER.net over its report on his letter to the Board of Pardons and Parole, which indicated he “recommended” the executive clemency application of convicted rapist and murderer Antonio Sanchez.
Panelo, who previously served as legal counsel of the former Calauan mayor, called the article “malicious” and threatened to file libel complaint against the online news site. Panelo said the letter was only a “referral” and not endorsement.
“Humingi na [ng apology], tinanggap ko na,” the secretary said. “Binigyan ko lang sila ng leksyon.”
Apart from INQUIRER.net, Panelo said he will also slap charges to Rappler for its article stating he “endorsed” the executive clemency bid.
Rappler responded by saying the libel suit was only a “pure diversionary tactic.”
https://news.tv5.com.ph/breaking/read/up-to-congress-panelo-on-dutertes-threat-vs-abs-cbn-franchise-expression-lang-ng-inis
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