Columnist and Philippine Special Envoy to the European Union and China Ramon Tulfo publicly aired support for ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal.
In a tweet, the veteran columnist said he differs with President Rodrigo Duterte on the issue of ABS-CBN.
“I am a close friend of President Digong who wants to cancel the franchise of ABS-CBN. But I now differ with him and making it public: Closing down the country’s largest network would mean muzzling the media.”
He also said that closing down the network will not be good for Duterte’s image.
“Mr. Duterte would be projecting an image that he’s a vindictive despot.”
I am a close friend of President Digong who wants to cancel the franchise of ABS-CBN. But I now differ with him and making it public: Closing down the country’s largest network would mean muzzling the media. Mr. Duterte would be projecting an image that he’s a vindictive despot.
— Ramon Tulfo (@RamonTulfoII) January 18, 2020
Prior to his tweet, Tulfo also wrote in his Manila Times column that ABS-CBN’s franchise should be renewed.
In the article, Tulfo argued that if ABS-CBN will not be renewed the whole world will see the Philippines as a pariah because it will project the country as “muzzling the media”.
He also said that “ABS-CBN’s franchise should be renewed as a matter of right” disagreeing with the opinion of House Committee on Legislative Franchises chair Franz Alvarez who said a franchise is a “matter of privilege and not a right.”
ABS-CBN’s franchise is due to expire in March 2020.
Currently, 11 house lawmakers have filed 9 bills seeking to renew the Kapamilya network’s franchise.
Rep. Alvarez said they will start deliberating on the measures at the resumption of the Congressional session on January 20.
ABS-CBN’s franchise has been stalled in Congress since 2016 because of President Duterte’s repeated opposition to it. Duterte accused ABS-CBN of swindling after the network failed to air his political ads. The President has also criticized the network’s perceived bias reporting against him.
