Palace downplays Duterte’s threat to block ABS-CBN franchise renewal

President Rodrigo Duterte’s repeated threats to block the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN were mere expressions of displeasure since the Chief Executive is not a vengeful person, Malacañang yesterday said.

“Basta si Presidente hindi benggatibong tao. ‘Yan ang masasabi ko sa inyo. Dahil kung benggatibo yan marami na sigurong nalagas. Mabait siyang tao (The President is not a vengeful person. That’s what I can say. Because if he was, many would have fallen by the wayside.  He is a kind individual),” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in an interview Monday evening.

Duterte has repeatedly said in his public speeches that he would block the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise for not airing his 2016 election advertisement and for alleged biased reporting.

Asked about the repeated threats, Panelo downplayed the President’s remarks.

“Baka expression lang ‘yon ng kanyang inis (It could be just an expression of his displeasure),” Panelo said.

Panelo, who is also Duterte’s chief legal counsel, said the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN, which is set to expire on March 2020, is up to Congress.

“That’s the call of Congress,” he said.

Meanwhile, Senator  Ralph Recto has filed a bill renewing the franchise granted to ABS-CBN while Nueva Ecija Representative  Micaela Violago has filed the same bill in the 18th Congress.

https://journal.com.ph/news/nation/palace-downplays-dutertes-threat-block-abs-cbn-franchise-renewal

Final testing, sealing of VCMs for S. Leyte polls set Oct. 23

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday scheduled the final testing and sealing (FTS) of vote counting machines (VCMs) three days before the congressional elections in two districts of Southern Leyte.

According to Comelec Resolution 10604, the FTS for the October 26 elections for the members of the House of Representatives for the first and second legislative districts of Southern Leyte, will be conducted on October 23.

The poll body noted that the measure was originally scheduled for October 21.

"In previous elections, it has been the experience of our elections officers to set the date of testing and sealing to just one day," the Comelec added.

During the FTS, there will be an end-to-end test of the process, from the initialization of the machines to the voting of 10 people, to the feeding of the accomplished ballots to the VCMs, and until the printing of election returns.

After the final testing, the commission will seal and lock the VCMs in the polling precincts and will not be opened again until Election Day.

Republic Act 11198, which reapportioned Southern Leyte from one to two legislative districts, became effective on February 19.

The elections will be held for the first district in the City of Maasin, and the municipalities of Macrohon, Padre Burgos, Limasawa, Malitbog, Tomas Oppus, and Bontoc.

In the second district, the polls will be conducted in the municipalities of Sogod, Libagon, Liloan, San Francisco, Pintuyan, San Ricardo, Saint Bernard, Anahawan, San Juan, Hinundayan, and Silago.

All registered voters in the province of Southern Leyte are allowed to participate in this month’s elections.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1083241

Vilma Santos-Recto: Leave ABS-CBN franchise to ‘sound discretion’ of congressmen

House Deputy Speaker Vilma Santos-Recto welcomed Tuesday presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo’s remark on ABS-CBN Corp.’s franchise renewal, saying she entrusts the matter to the “sound discretion” of her fellow congressmen.

Panelo clarified earlier this day that President Rodrigo Duterte’s threats to block the franchise renewal of the radio-television giant were mere expressions of displeasure. The Palace mouthpiece claimed the Chief Executive– known for brandishing tirades against critics– is not a vengeful person.

Santos-Recto, who filed one of the five bills renewing the network’s franchise which would expire on March 30, 2020, welcomed Panelo’s recognition of the “exclusive power of Congress in the issuance and renewal of Franchise under existing policy.”

“Ang sabi ko nga (As I said), let’s wait for the action of the Committee on Legislative Franchise regarding ABS-CBN renewal, when we go back this November,” the veteran actress who has worked with ABS-CBN told INQUIRER.net.

“I leave it to the sound discretion of my colleagues in Congress,” she added.

The 17th Congress version of the proposed law remains pending at the committee on legislative franchises since Nov. 16, 2016. The panel did not act on the bill until the previous 17th Congress ended.

Weeks after the 18th Congress opened, House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez said it was still “premature” to affirm if the lower chamber would commit to process the proposal on the legislated franchise of ABS-CBN. The franchise remained pending in the House until Congress went on a break last Oct. 3. It would resume sessions on Nov. 4.

Duterte has repeatedly launched threats against media outfits critical of his administration like the Lopez-owned ABS-CBN, the broadsheet Philippine Daily Inquirer, and the online news site Rappler. He even threatened to block the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN, accusing the network of allegedly not providing him the airtime he had paid for.

INQUIRER.net has repeatedly sought the comments of legislative franchises panel chair and Palawan 1st District Rep. Franz Alvarez’s comment via text and in-person, but he has yet to respond.  /muf

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1177707/vilma-santos-recto-leave-abs-cbn-franchise-to-sound-discretion-of-congressmen

UP TO CONGRESS | Panelo on Duterte’s threat vs ABS-CBN franchise: Expression lang ng inis

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

Duterte’s threat to block ABS-CBN franchise renewal a mere expression of displeasure–Palace

President Rodrigo Duterte’s repeated threats to block the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN were mere expressions of displeasure since the Chief Executive is not vengeful, Malacañang said Monday.

“Basta si Presidente hindi benggatibong tao. ‘Yan ang masasabi ko sa inyo. Dahil kung benggatibo yan marami na sigurong nalagas. Mabait siyang tao (The President is not a vengeful person.  That’s what I can say. Because if he was, many would have fallen by the wayside.  He is a kind individual),’ Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in an interview with One News PH Monday night.

Duterte has repeatedly said in his public speeches that he would block the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise for not airing his 2016 election advertisement and for alleged biased reporting.

Asked about the repeated threats, Panelo downplayed the President’s remarks.

“Baka expression lang ‘yon ng kanyang inis (It could be just an expression of his displeasure),” Panelo said.

Panelo, who is also Duterte’s chief legal counsel, said the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN, which is set to expire on March 2020, is up to Congress.

“That’s the call of Congress,” he said.

At the Senate, Sen. Ralph Recto has filed a bill renewing the franchise granted to ABS-CBN while Nueva Ecija 2nd District Rep. Micaela Violago has filed the same bill in the 18th Congress. /gsg

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1177648/dutertes-threat-to-block-abs-cbn-franchise-renewal-a-mere-expression-of-displeasure-palace