Laguna gubernatorial candidate and former ABS-CBN journalist Sol Aragones is under fire after a photo of her endorsing Congressman Rodante Marcoleta — one of the key figures behind the ABS-CBN shutdown in 2020 — went viral on social media.
The controversial image, which previously appeared on Aragones’ official Facebook page alongside other campaign photos featuring Willie Revillame, has since been deleted. Only the photo with Revillame remains. The now-deleted photo prompted backlash from netizens and even some of Aragones’ former colleagues from ABS-CBN, where she worked for 14 years as a broadcast journalist.
Among those who expressed disappointment was former ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs head Ging Reyes. On Facebook, she shared a screenshot of a tweet criticizing the photo and wrote, “For me and thousands of Kapamilya, marking 5 years since ABS-CBN’s broadcast shutdown brings back painful memories. That wound was deep. Apparently, not for everyone.”
The shutdown of ABS-CBN in May 2020 resulted in the retrenchment of thousands of employees and was widely viewed as a blow to press freedom. Marcoleta, a member of the House of Representatives at the time, was one of the most vocal opponents of the network’s franchise renewal.
In a recent interview with Rappler, Aragones defended her decision, saying she welcomes support from any senatorial aspirant willing to help improve healthcare in Laguna, regardless of political affiliations.
“This is not about me anymore. This is about the fight for Laguna,” she said. “My love for ABS-CBN, I fought for that, and that will never go away. I respect the opinions of others. I just hope they also respect me in my fight.”
Aragones was one of only 11 lawmakers who voted in favor of renewing ABS-CBN’s franchise back in 2020. However, she now finds herself under scrutiny for aligning with the same politician many blame for the network’s closure.
A member of her campaign team, Bryan Guarnes, claimed that Aragones’ pro-ABS-CBN stance may have cost her the endorsement of Iglesia ni Cristo (INC), which instead backed rival candidate Rep. Ruth Hernandez.
Despite the controversy, Aragones has yet to release an official statement directly addressing the backlash or explaining the photo’s removal. The 2025 gubernatorial race in Laguna remains highly competitive, with Aragones facing off against Hernandez, Vice Governor Karen Agapay, and Sta. Rosa Rep. Dan Fernandez.
