Cayetano to ABS-CBN celebs: Don’t ignore ‘grave’ issues vs your network
MANILA, Philippines — ABS-CBN’s Kapamilya stars cannot cry injustice while ignoring the “grave issues” against their network.
Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said this during Wednesday’s session and urged celebrities to “find it in your heart” to support due process as bills seeking the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise remain pending in the House of Representatives.
To recall, several celebrities such as Coco Martin and Kim Chiu have expressed their dissatisfaction after the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) ordered ABS-CBN to stop its broadcast operations after the network’s franchise expired on May 4.
“To the celebrities of ABS-CBN, yes marami kayong fans dito sa (you have many fans here in) Congress. But please be reminded that loyalty to the company that has given you a good life is important, but you cannot cry injustice and blame public servants when you lose your paycheck or your show, yet not take notice of the fact, yes the fact, that there are grave issues against your network,” Cayetano said.
Among the issues that Cayetano cited were ABS-CBN’s alleged violations of labor laws, tax laws, and election laws.
“By all means, let your voices of support for your network be heard. By all means, sabihin natin sa kababayan ang mga magandang nagawa ng network,” Cayetano said.
“But if you really want to join the public debate, find it in your heart, find it in your indignation to also support due process and fact finding as this issue is imbued with public interest – not just your interest,” he added.
According to Cayetano, there are employees of ABS-CBN who are speaking out against their network and the hearing for the franchise renewal is “their only time that they will be listened to.”
“Every time may (there’s) 25-year franchise renewal, doon lang pinapakinggan eh (that’s the only time they will be heard). Unless you have the courts, you have the labor arbiters but how long does it take?” Cayetano said.
“’Yung social justice po, kasama po ‘yan sa franchise kasi public utilities po ito,” he added.
(Social justice is part of the franchise because this is public utilities.)
During the session, the lower chamber approved on second reading House Bill No. 6732 granting ABS-CBN a provisional franchise to operate until October 31, 2020.
KGA
