'Personal Vendetta'

Duterte binatikos ng NUJP dahil sa isyu ng ABS-CBN

BINATIKOS NG National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) si Pangulong Duterte matapos nitong sabihin na hindi niya papayagan ang muling pagbubukas ng television network sa bansa.

Tinawag na “personal vendetta” ng NUJP ang pagpapasara ni Duterte sa ABS-CBN noong nakaraang taon.

“We are tempted to thank President Rodrigo Duterte for proving us right about what we have been saying all along, that the shutdown of ABS-CBN was a personal vendetta that a lapdog Congress helped seal. Why else would he rail about ordering the National Telecommunications Commission not to grant the network a permit to operate should Congress grant it a new franchise?”

“And why else would he continue to wave the banner of long ago discredited accusations of unpaid taxes when the proper thing to do, then and now, would be to hale the Lopezes to court if he actually believes these to be true? We all know all he has to do to thwart a new franchise is to veto it. Unless he is no longer so sure about his grip on a once subservient chamber and fears a veto override,” pahayag pa ng NUJP.

Sinabi ni Duterte na hindi nito papayagan ang ABS-CBN, na pagaari ng pamilyang Lopez, na makabalik sa ere kahit pa matunog ngayon sa Kongreso na posibleng bigyan ng franchise ang television giant na mag-operate.

Matatandaang si Duterte mismo ang nagtulak sa mga kaalyado nito na isara ang ABS-CBN dahil lamang sa hindi pag-ere ng political ads nito noong 2016. Iginiit ni Duterte na biniyaran niya ang ads sa ABS-CBN, ngunit may paglabag umano ang propaganda ni Duterte kung kaya’t hindi ito pinayagan.

“Ang Congress is planning to restore the franchise of the Lopez. Wala akong problema doon kung i-restore ninyo. But if you say that if they can operate kung may — may ano na sila, no, I will not allow them. I will not allow the NTC to grant them the permit to operate. Kung ibigay ninyo ‘yung franchise because it is within your power to do it, go ahead. Alam mo bakit? Unless and until mabayaran ng mga Lopez ang taxes nila, I will not — I will ignore your franchise and I will not give them the license to operate. Kalokohan ‘yan,” ani Duterte.

“Parang binigyan mo sila ng prize for their being — for committing criminal acts. Iyong — ito ‘yung pinagbili ng ano, pinagbili ng Lopez iyong Lopez of Companies kasi maraming utang. So binili nila na lahat — pati ‘yung mga utang, pinagbili ng Lopez doon sa DBP (Development Bank of the Philippines). Mayroon akong kulang dito because I am not quite familiar. Ito lang ang akin eh. Pero ito dumating sa akin and I said in my official capacity as a government worker. Ngayon, binili — pinagbili ng Lopez doon sa DBP, binili ng DBP. Tapos mayroong batas SPV — iyong SPV is a law that was made to help ailing banking institutions,” paliwanag pa ng Pangulo.

Ang SPV Law o Republic Act No. 9182 ay nilagdaan noong Enero 2003 upang hikayatin ang mga financial institutions na bigyan ng atensyon ang non-performing assets upang makatulong ito sa economic growth at rehabilitasyon ng isang naghihikahos  na negosyo.

“Ewan ko, ito bangko ito pero na — napabili nila ang — ang kanilang utang lahat doon sa DBP. But after a few years, binili ng DBP uli ‘yung pinagbili nila sa… Ipinagbili nila sa DBP iyong pinagbili nila. This time, medyo wala na ‘yung mga utang-utang. Condoned, kung ano-ano ang nilagay nila. Ngayon, unless it is cleared, I think Congress, I understand, started an investigation but stopped noong dumating na sila dito kay Lopez.”

“There were so many investigations about banking except that pagdating kila — sa kila Lopez, huminto sila. So nagkakaroon tayo ng problema diyan. Dumating sa akin ito in official capacity. Ang magawa ko lang nito is I think I’ll pass it on to the Ombudsman. Para sa akin ang Ombudsman ang pinaka- independent body na mag-solve nito,” wika pa ni Duterte.

Ilang ulit na rin sinabi ng ABS-CBN na wala itong utang sa gobyerno at humingi pa ng tawag kay Duterte dahil sa hindi pag-ere ng political ads nito.

Hinamon naman ng NUJP ang Kongreso na gawin ang tama at nararapat. “Perhaps it is not too late for the members of the House of Representatives to salvage their reputations, to prove that they are what the Constitution charges them to be, members of a co-equal and independent branch of government, and no longer the willing accomplices to the continuing siege on press freedom and all our other rights and liberties. Do what is right, grant ABS-CBN a new franchise, and override any veto,” ayon sa NUJP. 

Sinabi naman ng mga kritiko ni Duterte na ito ay natatakot lamang sa posibleng pagbabalik ng ABS-CBN at baka ungkatin ang anu-anong mga isyu laban sa kanya at sa mga kandidato nito sa 2022 national elections na kung saan ay tatakbong presidente umano ang anak nitong si Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte. (Mindanao Examiner)

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