Senator Leila De Lima has slammed President Rodrigo Duterte for claiming he’s not involved in ABS-CBN’s shutdown since the issue of its franchise is pending in Congress.
In a statement Friday (May 8), De Lima said Duterte should be blamed for ABS-CBN’s shutdown since he never did anything to stop it. The senator noted that Solicitor General Jose Calida and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) are both answerable to the President.
It was NTC which ordered ABS-CBN to shut down on May 5 after its franchise expired while Calida pressured the agency a few days earlier against granting the network provisional authority to operate.
“’Neutral’ lang daw si Duterte? This bully President not lifting a finger this time? Not even counter-manding either Calida or NTC, which is perfectly within his powers to do? Duterte’s hypocritical stance of neutrality is so much of an insult to our intelligence,” De Lima said.
The senator accused Duterte of being behind the House of Representatives’ inaction on ABS-CBN’s franchise application.
“Hands-off daw si Duterte sa usapin ng ABS-CBN franchise renewal?Paulit-ulit nyang binalaan at inalipusta ang ABS-CBN,” she said.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said on May 6 that House members should vote on ABS-CBN’s franchise application according to their conscience because Duterte is “completely neutral” on the issue.
“The President will be neither angry nor happy. He is completely neutral. Vote as your conscience dictates,” Roque told lawmakers.
Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)
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