Senator Bong Revilla revealed that he supports the move for the reconsideration of the franchise bid of ABS-CBN even though he holds a grudge against the network.
This was after Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto and Congresswoman Vilma Santos moved to seek the renewal of the ABS-CBN franchise.
According to an article by PEP, Senator Bong said that he has been supportive of the network from the start despite his ill-feelings towards the network. He made his statement during his thanksgiving event with his wife Mayor Lani Mercado in Annabel’s, Morato Avenue, Quezon City on January 5.
“From the very beginning naman, kahit na may sama ako ng loob sa kanila, supportive ako sa ABS-CBN franchise,” the senator said.
“At hanggang ngayon, iyon pa rin ang stand ko—I will support the renewal of the franchise of ABS-CBN,” he added.
He mentioned the renewal would bring about employment once again for those people who lost their jobs during the network’s shut down. He said that there is a need to help those people especially those who work in the showbiz business.
“Ilang buwan na ring walang trabaho iyong mga kababayan natin na nagtatrabaho sa showbiz.
“Saka kung meron man silang nasagasaan noon, siguro… nag-suffer na rin sila, di ba?
“Ang importante ngayon, matulungan natin iyan, maibalik natin, mabigyan ng trabaho ang mga nawalan ng trabaho.”
It can be remembered that the ABS-CBN network was forced to shut down in July 2020 after 70 lawmakers voted to deny its franchise renewal bid. The network’s shutdown caused a large scale retrenchment of workers and even had some of its artists to switch networks.
Meanwhile, Senator Bong clarified that his grudge with ABS-CBN was specifically directed at the people working in the News and Current Affairs department and not those who are under the Entertainment department.
“Iyong mga taga-Entertainment, mga kaibigan ko lahat iyon,” he said.
“Sina Ma’am Charo [Santos], sina Malou Santos, Olive Santos. Wala pa sila sa ABS-CBN, mga kasamahan ko na sila. They’re very close to me,” he added.
When the senator was asked about the process of the franchise bid reconsideration, he said that, “It should emanate sa Lower House. And then, ita-tackle namin pag sumampa sa Senado.”
He said that he was one of the people who filed the reconsideration and would do anything that he can to stick by his words to support the network.
“Isa ako sa nag-file niyan, kumbaga, iyong support sa renewal. Sinabi ko ‘yon, paninindigan ko. Ganun ako, e.
“Kapag nakapagbitaw na ako ng salita, paninindigan ko ‘yon. Kung sino man ang sasama ang loob, e, nasabi ko na ‘yon.
“Basta, gagawin ko ‘yon para sa nakikita kong mas makakabuti sa mas nakakarami.”
