Vilma Santos-Recto ‘prepared’ to face ‘consequences’ over ABS-CBN franchise vote

MANILA, Philippines — Deputy Speaker Batangas 6th District Rep. Vilma Santos-Recto on Monday said she is ready to face the “consequences” of her vote favoring ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal.

While she is part of the “super majority,” Santos-Recto said she is an “independent thinker.”

Last week, 70 members of the House legislative franchises committee voted to deny a fresh 25-year franchise to ABS-CBN. The Batangas congresswoman was among the 11 lawmakers who opposed the denial.

Citing a previous experience, Santos-Recto said she lost a committee chairmanship because she voted against the death penalty in 2017.

“It happened to me already when I voted ‘no’ do’n sa death penalty…sinabi nila na kailangan masuportahan yung major bill na ‘yun, ‘yung death penalty. I stood my ground and I voted ‘no’ so I lost my chairmanship,” she said in an interview on ABS-CBN News Channel’s “Headstart.”

(It happened to me already when I voted ‘no’ to the death penalty…they said that there needs to be support for this major bill, which is the death penalty. I stood my ground and I voted ‘no’ so I lost my chairmanship).

“Pero kung ano man yung naging desisyon ko ngayon dito sa renewal ng franchise ng ABS-CBN at magkakaroon ulit ng ganong consequences, I think I’m prepared for that so tanggapin natin ‘yun,” she added.

(But whatever decision I made now regarding the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN and if it will have similar consequences, I’m prepared for that, we will accept that).

Santos-Recto admitted being surprised by how the voting turned out, adding that the embattled network was able to answer to the allegations against it during the marathon hearings on the matter.

“We’re not expecting malaking malaki…We were expecting na a more comfortable number kasi inisip namin dun sa mga pagdinig na ginawa ay nasagot naman ng ABS-CBN yung mga binato sakanilang questions. Nasagot nila ng tama at may batayan,” she pointed out.

(We’re not expecting a lot of votes…We were expecting a more comfortable number because we thought that ABS-CBN was able to answer the questions being thrown at them. They answered it correctly and with basis).

“In fact, alam naman natin na sinabi ng national government agencies…na pinatunayan na wala naman nilabag na batas ang ABS-CBN. So ako personally, umasa na kahit papano, may balanse na sanang mangyayari sa kanilang magiging desisyon sa pagboto,” she added.

(In fact, national government agencies even cleared the network of any violations. So personally, I really expected that the voting would have been balanced).

Before the House panel voted on ABS-CBN’s franchise, the committee held 13 hearings tackling various issues such as citizenship of the network’s chairman emeritus Gabby Lopez, alleged labor violations, tax evasion, as well as alleged political bias, among others.

JE