Marcoleta hits ABS-CBN reporter for report on his authorship on franchise bills

MANILA, Philippines — A lawmaker on Monday chided an ABS-CBN reporter for allegedly falsely reporting his authorship of bills granting franchises to firms with more than 50-year franchises and offering Philippine Depositary Receipts (PDRs).

During a House joint panel hearing on the network’s franchise, House Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta said that the ABS-CBN reporter aired his story without getting his side or clarification on the issues.

ABS-CBN last week reported that Marcoleta was the principal author of bills granting franchises to firms that have operated for more than 50 years and offer PDRs, which were the lawmaker’s primary reasons for opposing the renewing ABS-CBN’s franchise.

Marcoleta, however, denied the allegation, saying that he has not principally authored a bill on franchises as the sector he represents is the urban poor.

“Matagal na ako sa Kongreso, wala pa po akong ni isang iniakda na prangkisa sapagkat ang sector ko ay urban poor, 2ala po silang kakayahan na mag-ari ng istasyon pang radyo o pang-telebisyon,” he said.

(I am in Congress for a long time and I haven’t authored bills on franchises since the sector I represent is the urban poor and they don’t have the capability to own a radio or television station.)

If his name appears on franchise bills, it is because there are lawmakers who motion that members of a House panel be included as co-authors.

“Ang balita po, ay mga naganap na mga bagay bagay sa isang araw na kinalap ng reporter, ibabalita niya, walang labis, walang kulang. Ang reporter po ay walang karapatan gumawa ng sarili niyang balita,” Marcoleta said.

(What constitutes a news item is events of one day that the reporter has gathered, which he will report without excess. A reporter does not have the right to make up his own news.)

The House joint panel is tackling the citizenship of ABS-CBN chairman emeritus Eugenio “Gabby” Lopez III since the media network’s franchise requires that its ownership must belong to a Filipino citizen.

During a news program on Monday evening, the ABS-CBN reporter insisted that it was the lawmaker who failed to air his side since he was sought for comment as early as Tuesday afternoon.

The reporter also denied Marcoleta’s allegation that he was barred to conduct an online meeting with the lawmaker. The reporter was instead advised by his superiors not to organize an online press conference for a politician.

Instead, the reporter told the lawmaker to ask his staff to organize the online press conference.

“Ang tinanggihan ay ang pag organisa ng isang reporter ng isang press conference para sa kongresista at sa ibang media dahil taliwas ito sa tungkuling ng isang mamamahayag,” the reporter said.

He tried to get in touch again with the lawmaker and his chief of staff but both no longer responded to him.