Anakalusugan Partylist Rep. Mike Defensor denied they had plans to take over ABS-CBN’s assets and infrastructure. This fact came up following his Zoom meeting with other lawmakers.
Defensor was among the 70 congressmen who denied ABS-CBN’s application for franchise renewal on July 10.
Defensor who also chairs the House Committee on Public Accounts, explained that during the online meeting he was only discussing the next steps and penalties that must be imposed following ABS-CBN’s denied franchise along with Deputy Speakers Rodante Marcoleta and Jesus Crispin Remulla.
“Ang gusto lang naman ng magkakasama doon, organized dapat. Hindi pwedeng pag nag-hearing ka ibang issues ang nire-raise mo. Dapat step by step,” Defensor said during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum.
“Sa Zoom pinapalabas pa nila, sinasabing nagpaplano pa kami, na gustong i-take over ang ABS-CBN. Hindi po ganun,” he added.
A part of their live Zoom meeting drew attention from the public after Defensor, Marcoleta, and Remulla, all known as staunch ABS-CBN critics, were heard raising doubts about the Lopez family’s possession of ABS-CBN Headquarters and the former Joint US Military Advisory Group (JUSMAG) Compound.
According to their discussion, ABS-CBN should also be fined for as high as P 1.9 trillion for alleged violations in the rollout of its digital boxes.
Marcoleta claimed that the land title of ABS-CBN is fake thus, they can be cast out from their ‘home’.
“Iyong titulo, unahin natin. In principle ‘yung lupa, wala silang mabubuhat doon. Lahat ng improvements, pag-aari na ng gobyerno kasi ang lupa pag-aari na ng gobyerno.”
The SAGIP Partylist Representative also said that ABS-CBN officials did not respond when they were asked to provide enough documents to prove their ownership.
“Kahit isang salita, natameme sa titulo. Banat na lng ng banat, hanap ng butas, pero titulo nila ayaw magsalaita kahit isang letra,” the solon said.
Meanwhile, Remulla and Defensor implied that ABS-CBN’s possession of the Joint US Military Assistance Group property within the network’s compound is questionable.
Remulla also stated his plans for a “follow-through” meeting next week with his colleagues.
“Marami pang nakabitin na dapat gawin para we can do justice to our jobs (A lot of things that are still hanging must be done so we can do justice to our jobs),” he said.
The live Zoom meeting which gathered thousands of viewers immediately circulated online. Many netizens slammed the three lawmakers following their statements on ABS-CBN’s alleged violations.
Aside from the three, Good Government and Public Accountability chair Rep. Jose Sy-Alvarado, Tingog Sinirangan Partylist Rep. Yedda Romualdez, and Deputy Speaker Dan Fernandez—all of whom voted to deny ABS-CBN a franchise— also joined the Zoom online meeting which was posted on Defensor’s Facebook page last Friday.
