Duterte says he won‘t let ABS-CBN run even with franchise – unless Lopezes pay taxes

President Rodrigo Duterte said on Monday night that he would not allow ABS-CBN to operate even if Congress would grant the Lopez-owned network a new franchise.

“Congress is planning to restore the franchise of the Lopezes. I have no problem with if you restore it,” Duterte said in Filipino in his pre-recorded speech.

“But if you say that they can operate if they already have it, no. I will not allow them. I will not allow the NTC to grant them the permit to operate,” he added, referring to the National Telecommunications Commission.

“Unless in a deal, the Lopezes would pay their taxes, I will not — I will ignore your franchise, and I will not give them the license to operate,” Duterte said.

Allowing the network to operate without payment of taxes, he said, would be nonsense — “kalokohan.”

“It’s like you gave them a prize for committing a crime,” he said.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1393658/duterte-says-he-will-not-allow-lopez-owned-abs-cbn-to-operate-even-with-franchise

Duterte: No license for ABS-CBN even if Congress grants franchise

President Rodrigo Duterte will not allow the National Telecommunications Commission to issue broadcast giant ABS-CBN Corp. even if it Congress grants it a legislative franchise.

The president, speaking at the weekly coronavirus task force, brought up loans of the Lopez Group of Companies that the Development Bank of the Philippines reportedly condoned in the 2000s. The DBP has submitted a position paper to a House panel conducting hearings on the loans and said that the bank did not do that.

It instead sold off the loans for P3.83 billion.

Duterte said he respects the legislative branch's power to grant franchises, but said "I will not allow the NTC to give them the permit to operate."

The president said that "unless and until mabayaran ng mga Lopez ang mga taxes nila (until the Lopezes pay theit taxes), I will ignore your franchise and I will not give them the license to operate," before talking about the DBP loans.

He said he might ask the Office of the Ombudsman to look into the supposed loan condonation.

DBP president and chief executive officer Emmanuel Herbosa said in January that the bank "takes the position that there is no loan condonation or write-off involved in the non-performing loans (NPLs) and non-performing assets (NPAs) covered by the banking transactions with DBP of the companies controlled or affiliated with the Lopez family." 

Herbosa said the bank sold its non-performing loans, including those of the Lopez Group, Lehman Brothers Asian Investment Ltd. in 2006. He said LBAIL was the highest bidder at the time.

 "In effect, DBP relinquished effective control over the transferred NPAs after it sold its NPAs without recourse for cash. DBP did not condone the subject NPLs and did not pursue further collection because there was no write-off involved in the NPLs of the Lopez Companies," he also said. 

ABS-CBN went off the air in May last year and a House panel in July denied the network's application for a new franchise. Lawmakers said the network had unpaid taxes and labor issues despite testimony from government agencies on those issues. House members also took issue with what they said was biased reporting by the network's news unit.

The shutdown of ABS-CBN, which had earned Duterte's ire for alleged bias and for failing to air his campaign ads for the 2010 elections, was described by its supporters, journalists' groups and rights groups as an attack on press freedom. The loss of its regional stations also meant loss of access to news and information for remote areas of the country. 

Rep. Vilma Santos-Recto (Batangas) has filed a bill at the House to give ABS-CBN a new franchise while Senate President Vicente Sotto III has filed a separate bill at the Senate.

It is unclear how the bills will fare in Congress, which is dominated by Duterte allies. Since the franchise is a proposed law, the president can also approve or veto it. — Jonathan de Santos

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/02/08/2076424/duterte-no-license-abs-cbn-even-if-congress-grants-franchise

The World Tonight | ANC (8 February 2021)

THE 700 CLUB ASIA | Tamang Panahon | February 8, 2021

Duterte to block ABS-CBN ops even if Congress grants new franchise

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday night said that he would not allow the National Telecommunications Commission to give ABS-CBN a license to operate even if the network is given a new franchise by Congress. 

Duterte indicated the Lopez family should first settle its unpaid obligations.

"Congress is planning to restore the franchise. Wala akong problem kung i-restore ninyo but I will not allow them to operate. I will not allow the NTC to grant them the permit to operate," Duterte said.

"Unless and until mabayaran ng mga Lopez ang taxes nila, I will ignore your frnachise and I will not give them the license to operate," he added.

Lopez Holdings Corp. has said it had no outstanding loans with the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).

"Lopez Holdings Corp. does not have any unpaid obligations to the Development Bank of the Philippines or other government financial institutions," it said in a statement in 2017.

Duterte at that time hit the company formerly known as Benpres over its supposed outstanding debt with the state-owned lender.

"I will not name the person, but 'yung mga company nila noon -- Benpres and about six other companies -- may utang sila sa DBP. At ang utang nila, umabot ng... to finance this... pera ng tao, gagamitin nila to finance their business pero kanila 'yung kita," Duterte said then.

The holdings firm owns major shareholdings in television network ABS-CBN and in the power, property, and telecommunications sectors.

Lehman brothers

DBP president Emmanuel Herbosa told a congressional inquiry in January that the soured loans of the Lopez group of companies had not been written off.

The non-performing debts were instead passed on to global financial services firm Lehman Brothers Asia Limited.

Herbosa said the DBP in 2006 sold the non-performing debts cumulatively worth P9.55 billion to Lehman Brothers Asia for P3.83 billion on October 16, 2006.

The billions of loans passed on to the Lehman Brothers include unpaid loans from the Lopez Group for its then-subsidiaries Bayan Telecommunications Inc., Central CATV (SkyCable Corp.), and Maynilad Water Services Inc.

With the asset sale, the Lopez Group would then pay the loans to the Lehman Brothers, as the DBP tapped the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) Act of 2002 which provided lenders to lessen losses from non-performing loans. -NB, GMA News

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/775122/duterte-to-block-abs-cbn-ops-even-if-congress-grants-new-franchise/story/

Happiness Is A State Of Mind

 But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.  Job 23:10

“Happiness is a state of mind” believed Beatrice Eckelberry, who learned first-hand what sorrow and loss are all about.  The following is the advice she gave to a friend following the death of her four-year-old, written many years ago in the year 1933:

“Tonight is the anniversary of the birth of my first-born.  I’ve been lonely for a few days and thinking a great deal.  Memory takes me back to January, 1928, before the beginning of this world-wide thing called Depression.

“Nineteen-twenty-seven had been a bad year for us, or at least we thought so then.  We had invested money into a business which was not paying, and borrowed money after that….  On New Year’s eve we celebrated at a well-known and aristocratic hotel.  We attended a dinner dance.  On the way to the big celebration I remarked that I was glad to see the old year go….  Fate hadn’t shone so brightly upon us that year; we were down and worried and uncertain, but I well remember that I added: ‘But we have much for which to be grateful; we have each other.’  Each other at that time meant a son nearly four, a petite baby girl sixteen months, our Daddy and myself.  We were in love; our family was ideal; we thought in a sense, we were sitting on top of the world–except financially.

“On New Year’s Day in the evening our little boy grew desperately ill.  Doctors and nurses came, worked, and advised, but on January third he died, and the bottom dropped out of our world.  It was so sudden, so unexpected, so tragic we had so little time to prepare ourselves for such a shock.  We were thrown up against God; there was no one else to whom we could turn.

“As the weeks went by, many times with tears streaming down my face, I told our Lord that, though I was desperately lonely, I was happy to have our boy with Him.  Sometimes I wonder if I wasn’t lying to Him, but after a year or more my prayer of resignation to the Divine Will became a real truth.

“Since our boy went away, money has never held so high a place in our regard.  True, we have been most fortunate during the present condition, but this much we know: that on those days five years ago when our son lay at Death’s door, if an angel of God could have appeared and given us our choice between that which we were scheduled to experience or dire poverty for a lifetime–well, you know the answer.

“We are facing uncertainty, as is everyone who hasn’t already gone down.  But we love each other more now, much more than we ever did, and kisses are free.  We still have our daughter and another son and a death to remember, but we’ve learned the real values of life and we’re happy.  We have no money in the bank; we’re still paying debts, and our Daddy still works hours and hours weekly (much too many) just to get by.

“Depressions are like measles, I believe.  You may have the rash more than once, but you will never be sick with it but once–if it gets you bad that time….  I am not sorry for myself, and I thank God from the bottom of my heart for all the good things He has given us.”

What an attitude! When you face the fires of testing, be encouraged.  God will bring you through just as he did Beatrice Eckelberry during the Great Depression.  As Job put it long ago: “But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold” (Job 23:10).

Resource reading: Job 1.

https://www.guidelines.org/devotional/happiness-is-a-state-of-mind/

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PAANO BA NATIN AALAGAAN ANG ATING KAPWA? - Kape't Pandasal kasama si Fr ...

Why Indonesia’s planned new Papuan provinces will cause division and destruction

ANALYSIS: By Dr Socratez Yoman

The Indonesian coloniser has become an ignorant ruler with deaf ears and with evil intention in fighting for the addition of new Papuan provinces without the population numbers to justify this.

Provincial division is a serious problem because the population of Papua and West Papua does not meet the requirements to establish new provinces.

The planned provinces will cause division and destruction of the cultural values of kinship and togetherness as Melanesian people.

After Indonesia failed with a plan to move 2 million indigenous Papuans to Manado, the new strategy devised by the Jakarta authorities is to separate indigenous Papuans according to ethnic groups. This is a crime against humanity and is a gross human rights violation carried out by the state.

The author followed the presentation from the Minister of Home Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Tito Karnavian, to the Working Meeting of Commission I DPD RI in Jakarta on 27 January 2021 regarding the government’s version of the Provincial Expansion scenario which was not rational or realistic.

The Minister of Home Affairs is not paying attention to the standards and requirements for the development of a new administrative area, such as area size, population, human resources and financial and natural resources.

The criteria for a new government have been largely ignored, but political interests and remilitarisation have become the main mission. To be honest, the people and nation of West Papua do not need lots of division of districts and provinces.

Military purpose for new provinces

These new provinces are only for political and military purposes and to move excess population from Java.

The proposal in summary

1. Papua Province

(the original province)

Capital: Jayapura

a. Jayapura Town

b. Jayapura Regency

c. Keerom Regency

d. Sarmi Regency

e. Maberamo Raya Regency

f. Waropen Regency

g. Kep. Yapen Regency

h. Biak Numfor Regency

i. Supiori Regency

2. South Papua Province

(new province)

Capital: Merauke

a. Merauke Regency

b. Boven Digoel Regency

c. Mappi Regency

d. Asmat Regeny

e. Peg Bintang Regency

3. Central Eastern Papua Province

(new province)

Capital: Wamena

a. Jayawijaya Regency

b. Lani Jaya Regency

c. Tolikora Regency

d. Nduga Regency

e. Maberamo Tengah Regency

f. Yalimo Regency

g. Yahukimo Regency

h. Puncak Jaya Regency

i. Puncak Regency

4. Western Central Papua Province

(still under debate)

Capital: Mimika

a. Mimika Regency

b. Paniai Regency

c. Deiyai Regency

d. Dogiay Regency

e. Nabire Regency

f. Intan Jaya Regency

5. West Papua Daya Province

(previously mostly West Papua Province)

Capital: Sorong

a. Town of Sorong

b. Sorong Regency

c. Sorong Selatan Regency

d. Maybrat Regency

e. Tambrauw Regency

f. Raja Ampat Regency

With these additions Papua would have five provinces. The mechanism for provincial expansion is in accordance with Article 76 of the Special Autonomy Law with additional authority changes from the central government when there is a deadlock in the region.

The total population of West Papua includes two provinces respectively: Papua Province 3,322,526 people and West Papua 1,069,498 inhabitants. The total is 4,392,024 inhabitants.

Evenly dividing up population

If the population is divided evenly from the total population of 4,392,024 the population for the five provinces are as follows:

1. Papua Province will be inhabited by a population of 878,404 people.

2. West Papua Province will be inhabited by a population of 878,404 people.

3. The Province of Puppet I will be inhabited by a population of 878,404 people.

4. The Province of Puppet II will be inhabited by a population of 878,404 people.

5. The Province of Puppet III will be inhabited by a population of 878,404 people.

The question is whether a province with a total population of 878,404 people is worthy and eligible to become a province?

It is very important to compare with the population of the provinces of West Java, Central Java and East Java.

1. Total population of West Java: 46,497,175 people.

2. Total population of Central Java: 35,557,248 people.

3. Total Population of East Java: 38,828,061 people.

The question is why does the government of the Republic of Indonesia not carry out splitting the provinces of West Java, Central Java and East Java, which have the largest population sizes?

‘Transfer of excess population’

As a consequence of a population shortage in this province, the Indonesian authorities will transfer the excess population of Malay Indonesians to these puppet provinces.

The creation of these five provinces also have as their main objective to build 5 military area commands, 5 police area command bases, tens of military district commands and dozens of police district headquarters and various other units. The land of Melanesia will be used as the home of the military, police and Indonesian Malay people.

The consequences will be that the indigenous Papuans from Sorong to Merauke will lose their land because the land will be robbed and looted to build office buildings, military headquarters, police headquarters, army district bases, and police district bases.

Humans will be removed, made impoverished, without land and without a future, even slaughtered and destroyed like animals in a natural or unnatural way as we have experienced and witnessed until the present.

There is evidence that a genocide process has been carried out by the modern colonial rulers of Indonesia in this era of civilisation. The crimes of the Indonesian colonial rulers continue to be exposed in public.

In 1969, when the West Papuan people were integrated into Indonesia, the indigenous population was around 809,337 people. Meanwhile, the neighbouring independent state of Papua New Guinea has around 2,783,121 people.

Since then, the indigenous population of PNG has reached 8,947,024 million, while the number of Indigenous Papuans is still only 1.8 million.

Modern colonial ruler

This fact shows that the Indonesian government is a modern colonial ruler which has occupied and colonised the people and nation of West Papua.

Dr Veronika Kusumaryati, a daughter of Indonesia’s young generation in her dissertation entitled: Ethnography of the Colonial Present: History, Experience, And Political Consciousness in West Papua, revealed:

“FOR PAPUANS, CURRENT COLONIALISM IS MARKED BY THE EXPERIENCE AND MILITARISATION OF DAILY LIFE. THIS COLONIALISM CAN ALSO BE FELT THROUGH ACTS OF VIOLENCE THAT ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY SHOWN TO PAPUANS, AS WELL IN THE NARRATIVE OF THEIR LIVES.

“WHEN INDONESIA ARRIVED, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WERE DETAINED, TORTURED AND KILLED. OFFICES WERE LOOTED AND HOUSES BURNED. … THESE STORIES DID NOT APPEAR IN HISTORICAL BOOKS, NOT IN INDONESIA, NOR IN THE NETHERLANDS. THIS VIOLENCE DID NOT STOP IN THE 1960S.”

(Kusumaryati, V. (2018). Ethnography of the Colonial Present: History, Experience, And Political Consciousness in West Papua, p. 25).

The Indonesian government repeats the experience of the colonial rulers of apartheid in South Africa. In 1978, Peter W. Botha became Prime Minister and he carried out a politics of divide and conquer by dividing the unity of the people of South Africa through establishing puppet states: 1. The Transkei Puppet State. 2. The Bophutha Tswana Puppet State. 3. Venda Puppet State. 4. The Ciskei Puppet State. (Source: 16 Most Influential Heroes of Peace: Sutrisno Eddy, 2002, p. 14).

There is a serious threat and displacement of indigenous Papuans from their ancestral lands proven by the fact that in the regencies they have been robbed by the Malays and have been deprived of their basic rights for Indigenous Papuans in the political field. See the evidence and examples as follows:

1. Sarmi Regency 20 seats: 13 migrants and 7 indigenous Papuans (OAP).

2. Boven Digul Regency 20 seats: 16 migrants and 6 Indigenous Papuans

3. Asmat Regency 25 seats: 11 migrants and 14 Indigenous Papuans

4. Mimika Regency 35 seats: 17 migrants and OAP 18 Indigenous Papuans

5. 20 seats in Fakfak District: 12 migrants and 8 Indigenous Papuans.

6. Raja Ampat Regency, 20 seats: 11 migrants and 9 Indigenous Papuans.

7. Sorong Regency 25 seats: 19 migrants and 7 Indigenous Papuans.

8. Teluk Wondama Regency 25 seats: 14 migrants and 11 Indigenous Papuans.

9. Merauke Regency 30 seats: 27 migrants and only 3 Indigenous Papuans.

10. South Sorong Regency 20 seats. 17 migrants and 3 indigenous Papuans.

11. Kota Jayapura 40 seats: Migrants 27 people and 13 indigenous Papuans.

12. Kab. Keerom 23 seats. Migrants 13 people and 7 indigenous Papuans.

13. Kab. Jayapura 25 seats. Migrants 18 people and 7 indigenous Papuans.

Meanwhile, the members of the Representative Council of Papua and West Papua Provinces are as follows:

 Papua Province out of 55 members, 44 Papuans and 11 Malays/Newcomers.;

West Papua Province, out of 45 members, 28 Malays/Newcomers and only 17 Indigenous Papuans.

Reverend Socratez Sofyan Yoman is a Baptist priest, author and human rights defender from Papua. He filed this article for Asia Pacific Report.

 

https://asiapacificreport.nz/2021/02/07/why-indonesias-planned-new-papuan-provinces-will-cause-division-and-destruction/

Catholic bishop seeks ‘fairness’ in Palawan vote

THE Apostolic Vicariate of Puerto Princesa called for a “fair presentation” of both pros and cons of the proposal to divide Palawan into three separate provinces so voters will be able to make right decision on the issue.

Bishop Socrates C. Mesiona, the Vicar Apostolic of Puerto Princesa, issued the statement before the conduct of the plebiscite on March 13, 2021, for the ratification of Republic Act (RA) 11259, or the “An Act Dividing the Province of Palawan Into Three (3) Provinces, Namely: Palawan del Norte, Palawan Oriental, and Palawan del Sur.”

Mesiona addressed the appeal to the media and government “so the public will be able to have informed and principled decision on the matter.”

The bishop said beginning last year, they already encouraged parishes in Palawan to conduct town-hall meetings so those in favor and against the division of province could present their position.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines-National Secretariat for Social Action (CBCP-NASSA) expressed its concern over the possible impact of the division of Palawan into three separate provinces to its environment and indigenous communities.

“We are one with the civil society organizations, the local Catholic Churches in Taytay and Puerto Princesa, and the people of Palawan, in the call to re-examine the scientific, cultural and moral foundations of the law, above all economic and political gains of the proponents and their business allies,” CBCP-NASSA Vice Chairman Bishop Gerardo A. Alminaza said.

For its part, the provincial government of Palawan backed the separation that, it said, would allow local government units (LGU) to better micro-manage services for constituents.

Despite their reservation on the intent of division of Palawan into separate provinces, Church officials said they respect the conduct of the plebiscite and urged the government to ensure all voters in Palawan would be able to participate despite the risks of contracting the coronavirus disease of 2019 (Covid-19).

“We urge the government to ensure the integrity, fairness, transparency, utmost observance of health protocols in the conduct of the plebiscite, and that electoral violations will be avoided,” Caritas Philippines Executive Secretary Antonio E. Labiao said.

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/02/08/catholic-bishop-seeks-fairness-in-palawan-vote/