Robredo: Closing down ABS-CBN costs lives

MANILA, Philippines — “Closing down ABS-CBN costs lives, on top of unnecessarily burdening the thousands who will lose their jobs.”

So said Vice President Leni Robredo, who questioned the government’s order to halt the operations of the network giant after its franchise expired on Monday.

“Why was this done at a time when we are facing a severe crisis? There should be no space for harassment and personal agenda at this time when we should be working together,” Robredo said in a statement on Tuesday night after the network went off the air.

The official noted that aside from leaving some 11,000 workers out of a job, stopping the network’s operations would also cut off the free flow of correct and timely information that helps give shape and direction to the country’s actions as it battles the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

“This free flow of information literally saves lives,” Robredo said.

Malacañang has distanced itself from the National Telecommunications Commission’s cease-and-desist order against ABS-CBN, and instead blamed Congress, which grants the broadcasting license to networks.

Congress had sat on ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal application after President Duterte earlier expressed contempt for the network over what he said were unaired campaign ads in the 2016 presidential elections.

POGOs questioned

As civil society, business and media groups protested what they perceived as a vindictive act against ABS-CBN. Robredo meanwhile questioned the resumption of operations of Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs), which cater mainly to Chinese nationals.

“It’s not difficult to determine which [between] these two contribute more in responding to the crisis that we face today,” Robredo said.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque earlier said that the Pogos’ contribution to the country’s economy could be a source of funding for the COVID-19 crisis.

But a Senate hearing in March revealed that the sector’s contribution amounts to only 0.04 percent of the domestic economy. Pogos also owe the government at least P50 billion in unpaid taxes and licenses in 2019, an official of the Bureau of Internal Revenue told a Senate hearing in February.