Last Friday, May 22, ABS-CBN’s thousands of employees launched a signature campaign calling on the House of Representatives to pass a law renewing the franchise of the network.
But a massive troll attack tried to sabotage the online signature campaign aimed at bringing the country’s top broadcast network, ABS CBN, back on the air.
The Union of ABS-CBN Rank and File Employees and the Union of ABS-CBN Supervisory Employees immediately took action on trolls who attempted to disrupt the online signing campaign.
Jon Villanueva, president of the ABS-CBN Rank and File Employees Union, said the attacks came from bots and fake accounts which used obscenities, cuss words, and repetitive names as usernames.
“We are cleaning up our database right now and will relaunch with proper security to prevent another attack. We will not give up because we are fighting for our family, for our children and their future.”
ABS-CBN President Carlo Katigbak was also saddened by the fact that trolls tried to sabotage the online signature campaign that could lead 11,000 employees’ efforts to go to waste.
“Nakakalungkot malaman na may mga grupo o tao na nais siraan o gawing ’di kapani-paniwala ang aming petisyon. Napakahalaga po sa aming 11,000 o higit pang manggagawa ng ABS-CBN ang apela na ito.”
Some netizens, on the other hand, don’t believe that the online signature campaign for ABS-CBN is authentic.
A Twitter netizen @Harry&Henry posted screenshots of the online signature campaign proving that you can just falsify information and even sign the petition more than once.
“Authentic ba or inaccurate ang number of petitioners who signed sa Ibalik ang ABS-CBN campaign?”
“To personally find out, I signed the petition 2x, no problem. I just changed the order of my name.
And I could have go on and on. Juskolord ano ba yan. Verdict? Very inaccurate”
https://twitter.com/HarryHenry4Real/status/1264152454691610624?s=20
Other netizens believed that the online signature campaign is biased.
An online petition may create a PERCEPTION of public support, but in the case of ABS-CBN which has pending cases in court, it does not address the pertinent issues. Relying on an online petition suggests that, for lack of clear legal standing, public opinion is its last recourse. https://t.co/pRcoib2oFL
— Pinoytapsilog (@pinoyanghang) May 24, 2020
Petition has no value in this case. Majority ng tao sympathy at emotion lang ang alam but they don't really know the Whole story and facts. Leave it to their lawyers. Abs cbn has legal people responsible for it. Abs has all the resources to fight for their case legally.
— Ruel Manrique (@RuelManrique) May 24, 2020
https://twitter.com/Lancelootsss/status/1264363905582678017?s=20
While President Rodrigo Duterte has been vocal of his opposition to ABS-CBN’s franchise, House Speaker Alan Cayetano claimed that he will not interfere with the hearings.
“I can tell you and look you in the eyes na ang ano sa akin ni Presidente, is just be fair. Bahala kayo diyan,” claimed Cayetano.
“The President has never told me to grant or not grant anything, and kung titingnan mo ang attitude ng Presidente – sa confirmation sa mga secretary – kung anong teritoryo ng Kongreso, sa Kongreso iyan.”
ABS-CBN shut down on May 5 after the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) issued a cease and desist order in spite of its previous pledge under oath to lawmakers to give the network a provisional authority.
Because of the shutdown, ABS-CBN has announced the possibility of retrenching employees by August.
