Speaker and Congressman Alan Peter Cayetano made an admission when asked why the House of Representatives did not take a long time to discuss and eventually approve the bills seeking the renewal of the franchise for other broadcast networks as opposed to what is happening to ABS-CBN.
Last Tuesday, Cayetano claimed that he had the right to question ABS-CBN on its alleged “bias” when reporting the news, including against him and his wife, Taguig Representative Lani Cayetano.
“How many instances in your shows did you have on the case against me and Lani? Four. You only invited us once. Three times, kalaban namin. Wala kayong bias roon?” Cayetano said of ABS-CBN’s coverage.
The congressman even compared how ABS-CBN is allegedly ‘biased’ towards the Suansing and Albano couples.
“Mag-asawang Suansing wala kayong hearing against them. Sa mag-asawang Albano, you did not have a hearing. Can you say to me that there was no bias there?” he added.
The netizens can’t help but react to how ungrateful Cayetano is.
On Twitter, Kaya Natin Movement convenor Harvey Keh reminded Cayetano how ABS-CBN helped build their political name.
In a tweet on Tuesday, February 25, coinciding with the celebration of the 34th anniversary of People Power, Keh said that Cayetano would not have been a political name, if not for ABS-CBN.
You know whats really sad? Pag hindi dahil sa ABS-CBN wala sanang Cayetano ang nasa Senado o Kongreso ngayon. It was ABS-CBN who introduced Alan Peter’s dad, Companero Rene Cayetano to the nation by giving him a show in the 90s. Ngayon, ito igaganti ni Cayetano sa kanila.
— Harvey Keh (@HarveyKeh) February 24, 2020
Other netizens can’t help but voice out their opinions, some even called the Congressman a hypocrite.
Cayetano was anti GMA during the Hello Garci scandal. He worked closely with us, the Black and White Movement, when we lodged impeachment complaints against her. So, we confirm that he’s bereft of principles, a hypocrite, and a turncoat. Doble cara. https://t.co/cyM3u9MqdR
— Leah Navarro (@leahnavarro) March 11, 2020
https://twitter.com/shellyderp/status/1237402964064534530?s=21
Despite accusations on ABS CBN being bias, he insisted that he and the House of Representatives were not trying to attack ABS-CBN.
“If it is an attack on ABS-CBN, then the Committee would have just denied these at sarado na ang ABS-CBN. We will not go through this effort and news cycle para lang isara ang ABS-CBN. What we are after is fair and objective hearing,”
Cayetano concluded that the attempt of President Rodrigo Duterte to close ABS-CBN in no way affected the House in debating the merits and demerits of the bills for the renewal of the ABS-CBN franchise.
“The President said that it is up to you Congress, and he has forgiven ABS-CBN. It does not have a bearing on our decision.”
“Even if the President and all of his supporters would say ibigay niyo na, I will still demand a fair hearing because that is how we want Congress to be remembered.”
