The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines dared Congress to prove its independence from Malacanang by granting ABS-CBN a fresh 25-year franchise.
In a statement following President Rodrigo Duterte’s latest attack against the Kapamilya network, NUJP called on the House of Representatives to save the institution’s reputation by passing the ABS-CBN franchise bill and override any veto that Duterte might issue once it becomes law.
“Perhaps it is not too late for the members of the House of Representatives to salvage their reputations.”
Perhaps it is not too late for the members of the House of Representatives to salvage their reputations, to prove that they are what the Constitution charges them to be, members of a co-equal and –
— NUJP (@nujp) February 9, 2021
“Do what is right, grant ABS-CBN a new franchise, and override any veto,” the NUJP told lawmakers,” said NUJP.
– INDEPENDENT branch of government, and no longer the willing accomplices to the continuing siege on press freedom and all our other rights and liberties.
Do what is right, grant ABS-CBN a new franchise, and override any veto.
Reference:
National Directorate
+639175155991— NUJP (@nujp) February 9, 2021
Congress has always been criticized for being the rubber stamp of Malacanang. Speaker Lord Allan Velasco however denied the accusation during his early days as the new Speaker following the ouster of Duterte ally Alan Cayetano.
“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.
“We are allowed to ask questions, we go on debates to be able to talk about yung mga gusto nating ipasa na mga legislative na measures po. We cannot be called a rubber stamp because we do our job, scrutinizing each and every legislative measure po,”
NUJP’s statement came after Duterte’s latest rant against the network during his late-night weekly public address.
Duterte during the speech said he will not allow ABS-CBN to operate even if Congress grants them the franchise it needed to go back on the air.
The President insisted that ABS-CBN must first settle its tax issues before he can allow them to resume broadcasting on free TV.
Duterte’s latest statement meanwhile was treated by NUJP as a vindication of their long-time belief about Duterte’s hand in the network’s ordeal.
NUJP said Duterte has just proven that the shutdown of ABS-CBN has nothing to do with any violation but a personal vendetta which was aided by the rubberstamp Congress.
“We are tempted to thank President Rodrigo Duterte for proving us right about what we have been saying all along, that the shutdown of ABS-CBN was a personal vendetta that a lapdog Congress helped seal,” NUJP said.
[Statement] NUJP to Congress: Prove independence, grant ABS-CBN franchise
We are tempted to thank President Rodrigo Duterte for proving us right about what we have been saying all along, that the shutdown of ABS-CBN was a personal vendetta that a lapdog Congress helped seal. pic.twitter.com/d2tkr9h0xn
— NUJP (@nujp) February 9, 2021
“And why else would he continue to wave the banner of long-ago discredited accusations of unpaid taxes when the proper thing to do, then and now, would be to hale the Lopezes to court if he actually believes these to be true?
“Why else would he rail about ordering the National Telecommunications Commission not to grant the network a permit to operate should Congress grant it a new franchise?
“We all know all he has to do to thwart a new franchise is to veto it. Unless he is no longer so sure about his grip on a once subservient chamber and fears a veto override,” the group added
