Sen. Leila de Lima. (File photo from the Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government’s move to scrap the franchise of media network ABS-CBN is “nothing but another attack by a vulture” against a “vulnerable institution,” Senator Leila de Lima said Tuesday.
De Lima issued her statement after the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) filed a quo warranto petition before the Supreme Court seeking to nullify the franchise of ABS-CBN, which is set to expire by the end of March this year.
“Who does this quo warranto serve? Who asked for this? Definitely not the Filipino people whom Calida claims he represent,” De Lima said in a dispatch from Camp Crame, where she is currently detained.
“This is nothing but another attack by a vulture against a vulnerable institution already weakened after months of badgering by the President with the acquiescence of Congress,” the senator added.
While Malacañang already denied any hand on Calida’s petition, it could be noted that President Rodrigo Duterte, in his speeches, repeatedly threatened to block the franchise renewal of the television giant over what he claimed was unfair treatment of him during the 2016 presidential campaign.
In filing the petition, Solicitor General Jose Calida told reporters that the case was filed in order to stop the supposed “abusive practices” of the network.
But De Lima said this move meant to intimidate a private institution was “premised on questionable legal and factual bases [and] is an abuse of office.”
“Much like a senior government official exerting influence in order to secure contracts for security services with the government for his family corporation,” she said.
De Lima said the resolution of this case would reveal the “true character” of the Supreme Court and the country’s commitment to democracy and the rule of law.
The senator then expressed support for the broadcast network she described as a “cornerstone of our democracy which has survived the darkest days of the Marcos martial law and dictatorship, and emerged at the forefront of our national consciousness.”
“They are our partners in nation-building and they deserve our support,” she said.
“We have seen under this administration how the law is being twisted to serve the ends of tyranny. Our laws should help the oppressed, not the oppressors,” she added.