Yap slams ‘malicious’ report on his reasons for seeking ABS-CBN probe

MANILA, Philippines — A lawmaker has cried foul over what he described as a “malicious” article regarding reasons behind his move to have ABS-CBN investigated.

In a speech on Wednesday, ACT-CIS Partylist Rep. Eric Yap hit an INQUIRER.net article, quoting him as saying that the network’s reportage of the alleged drug links of Deputy Speaker and presidential son Paolo Duterte was one of his “personal reason” why he called for a congressional inquiry on ABS-CBN.

Yap said the story’s headline, “Solon admits ‘personal reason’ in seeking probe into alleged ABS-CBN franchise violations,” was “malicious”, saying he was only citing the reportage of Duterte’s drug link as an example.

“Marami at mahaba ang usapan na ‘yun at halimbawa natin, hindi lang ‘yun ang naging kadahilanan. Naipaliwanag ko po na hindi lamang ‘yun ang dahilan. ‘Yun po ay naging halmbawa ko lang sa aking panayam,” Yap said.

“Lilinawin ko po, hindi ito personal na galit kung kaya isinumite ang House Resolution 853. Ang personal po sa akin ay ang maging tama ang pagbabalita ng media dahil very powerful po ang media,” he added, as he clarified that he is not in support or against ABS-CBN.

Yap also hit the use of the term “personal” in the story’s headline.

“Hindi po nila (INQUIRER.net) ako tinanong kung ito ba ay personal sa akin o ano ba ‘to? Sila po ay naging parang isang chismoso lang po sa palengke na nakarinig ng chipmis at hindi vi-nalidate,” Yap said.

“Bakit po naging personal sa akin ‘to? Hindi po ‘yung kay Paolo Duterte, ‘yun po ay halimbawa. Ang personal sa akin ay ‘yung masisira mo ang buhay ng isang tao na ire-report mo ang mali at hindi tama. Pagkatapos, hindi mo na babawiin ‘yun,” he added.

The lawmaker further noted: “’Yun po ang personal sa akin kaya ako nag-file ng House Resolution 853 dahil gusto ko pong matuldukan ang maling practice ng ilang kasamahan natin sa media na basta-basta magre-report ng hindi totoo, allegations, at hindi na itatama.”

What happened?

In an interview with ANC’s Headstart, however, Yap categorically used the words “personal reason” while being asked about his resolution.

Yap first recalled Senate hearings conducted three years ago when former Customs broker Mark Taguba, a suspect in facilitating the shipment of a P6.4-billion drug haul from China in May 2017, appeared to implicate Duterte, then vice mayor of Davao City, and his brother-in-law, Manases Carpio — husband of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.

But Taguba clarified that he did not personally meet Duterte, and apologized for implicating him, while the presidential son has since denied the allegations.

Yap said ABS-CBN failed to do a follow-up report that Taguba had cleared Duterte of the alleged illegal acts.

“Ako, this is my personal opinion, pero sabi ko nga isang boto lang ako. Pero kung pwede man, i-open ko rin ‘yung experience ng kaibigan ko sa ABS-CBN. May kaibigan ako dati na alleged drug lord siya, nasa hearing, nilabas ng ABS-CBN News na tong si ganito — sabihin ko na pangalan si Paolo Duterte — na sinabi daw druglord,” Yap said in the interview.

“Yung Mark Taguba sinabi na hindi niya na-meet si Paolo Duterte, wala nang bumawi, wala na nagsabi sa news na hindi pala siya kasama dito, sinabi ng Mark Taguba (Taguba later said that he never met Paolo Duterte. No one mentioned in the news that Duterte was not involved in the illegal activities as per Mark Taguba),” the lawmaker added.

After Yap opened up his take on ABS-CBN’s reportage of the Duterte issue, anchor Karen Davila asked Yap: “Tanong ko lang Congressman, ito po ba ang dahilan kung bakit isinampa ni Ginoong Paolo Duterte ang resolusyon na ‘yun?”

Yap explicitly responded that while it was not the reason for Duterte, it was among the reasons for him.

“Siya (Duterte) hindi (‘yun ang rason). Ako po, ‘yan ang dahilan (kung bakit fi-nile ang resolution). Kasi ‘yung tao kaibigan ko, alam ko naman kung sa tingin ko naman totoo ‘yung sinasabi against him, eh hindi naman ako siguro magiging kaibigan niya,” Yap said.

“Sa akin naman, matagal ko na rin kilala yung tao, dun ko nakita na ang tao pala kahit gaano ka kabait, basta mabasa ka lang sa news na ganito kahit hindi totoo, maniniwala ‘yung ibang tao,” the lawmaker added.

“‘Yan lang ‘yung sa akin, ‘yung personal reason ko pero ‘yung sa kanya, never ko siyang tinanong. Kaya nga sabi ko, ‘yung tao mabait na tao, maayos na tao. Never siyang nagsasalita ng kung anong hindi magaganda,” Yap further said.

In the INQUIRER.net article, it was also stated that his criticism of ABS-CBN’s coverage of the Duterte issue was only “among” his reasons for filing the resolution.

“Administration-allied ACT-CIS Partylist Rep. Eric Yap admitted on Wednesday that among his personal reasons for seeking a probe on ABS-CBN’s alleged violations of its franchise is the network’s alleged biased coverage of Deputy Speaker and presidential son Paolo Duterte’s alleged involvement in illegal drug activities in the country,” the news article’s lead states.

KGA