Last Monday, during his nation’s address, President Rodrigo Duterte stressed his desire to block ABS-CBN until the end of his term.
With Congress planning to revive the franchise of ABS-CBN, the President’s mortal enemy, it seemed that they eventually bowed down to their leader.
Last month, Senate President Tito Sotto has stated that there is hope for the network’s franchise license with Lord Allan Velasco being the newly-elected House Speaker.
Sotto also added that there is a better chance of getting ABS-CBN a fresh 25-year franchise due to the ‘new and improved’ order in the House of Representatives (HoR).
And to strengthen such claim, Lord Allan Velasco, through Daily Tribune, has stated last October 2020 that under his leadership as Speaker of the House, the HoR will not be a rubber stamp of Duterte.
“Hindi naman po rubber stamp, mainly because kunwari may gusto po ang ating mahal na Pangulo, ibababa po niya sa Kongreso, we debate on it muna po, we’ll have people to scrutinize,” Velasco said in an interview by Daily Tribune via FB Live.
However, contrary to what Sotto has said and what Velasco stood for last year, after Duterte’s nation’s address last Monday, the Speaker released a statement saying that the fate of the broadcasting network’s franchise rests upon the next Congress. Moreover, he emphasized that the current lawmakers will be focusing on Duterte’s ‘promise’ to the Filipino people.
On twitter, several personalities and Netizens reacted on the news that Congress will not tackle the network’s franchise anymore.
ABS-CBN reporter Anjo Bagaoisan ridiculed Velasco by tweeting “The word of the Lord.”
The word of the Lord. https://t.co/RHDnaNQ7V7
— Anjo Bagaoisan (@anjo_bagaoisan) February 11, 2021
ABS-CBN TV host Kim Atienza upon knowing the stand of Velasco on the franchise of the broadcasting network, tweeted that the decision of the Speaker is not an accident. Additionally, Atienza handed the matter to the Creator Himself.
Hayaan mo. Nothing is an accident. God has plans and it will all be good. "Trust in Him with all of your heart and lean not on our own understanding and he will straighten our paths."– Psalm 3:5 https://t.co/QUFrMTjBZE
— kim atienza (@kuyakim_atienza) February 11, 2021
Broadcaster JM Reyes tweeted that since there is no chance of giving ABS-CBN its franchise, politicians such as Velasco would have no means to air their political advertisement.
https://twitter.com/jmsantosreyes/status/1359696302309658625?s=20
With Velasco switching sides, journalist Raissa Robles speculated that the Speaker’s constituents who were against ABS-CBN’s shutdown–they now knew who they will not vote in the coming election.
https://twitter.com/raissawriter/status/1359695005825212417
Twitter personality @IamCharotism emphasized that the Network is a big loss to the Philippines. The station is one of the largest taxpayers in the country. Also without their license to operate–huge amount of taxes are lost every month.
Dahil pinupulitika nyo ang ABS CBN sa pamamagitan ng tax, tandaan nyo na malaking tax ang nawawala kada buwan na maaring ibayad ng istasyon, artista at mga mang gagawa nito na malaking tulong sa bansa at ekonomiya. Charot! https://t.co/kqUx8sHsYx
— Charot! (@IamCharotism) February 11, 2021
And with Velasco wanting to ensure that Duterte’s agenda were finished before his term ends, actress Agot Isidro wants the government to finish the president’s 15-point legacy agenda before election come.
Velasco finally revealed his intention, and contradicting his own words, Daily Inquirer journalist Arbet Bernardo tweeted two focal points of this news: First, is that the DDS can no longer use their script that Duterte is not involved with the shutdown of ABS-CBN and; second, clear as day, the HoR is not an independent branch of the government.
1. DDS can no longer deny that their lord and savior Duterte has a hand in this.
2. The House can no longer deny it is an independent branch of government. https://t.co/OAnVheJRNX
— Ar brrrt brrrt Czarsaparilla Bernardo (@ArbetBernardo) February 11, 2021
In opposition to what he had said last year, Velasco succumbed to the whims of Duterte, crushing any hope that through his leadership, there would be any chance Congress would grant ABS-CBN with a fresh, 25-year franchise.
