MANILA, Philippines — A party-list lawmaker on Friday dismissed President Rodrigo Duterte’s recent statement about ending oligarchy in the country, asserting instead that oligarchs are flourishing in the current administration.
“Kaugnay sa ABS-CBN, hindi totoo na tagumpay na binuwag ni Duterte ang oligarkiya dahil sa katunayan, namamayagpag sila sa ilalim ng kanyang administration,” Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas said in an online press conference of Makabayan bloc.
(On the issue of ABS-CBN’s franchise, it isn’t true that Duterte stopped the operations of oligarchs because, in truth, they are thriving under his administration.)
“Record-high ang bilang ng Filipino oligarchs, ayon sa listahan ng Forbes’ top billionaires,” she added.
(Filipino oligarchs in the country are at a record-high according to the list of Forbes’ top billionaires.)
Brosas said that n 2019, there are 17 oligarchs recorded in the Philippines.
ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro, on the other hand, raised fears that Duterte might just create new oligarchs after the closure of media giant ABS-CBN.
“’Yung pagkakasara dito sa ABS-CBN, ipagmamalaki niya (Duterte) ito na pinabagsak niya ang oligarch. Baka naman papalitan niya lang ng mga oligarko na kagaya niya. Kaya mariin naming binabagsak itong gobyernong ito sa anti-mamamayan na programa nito,” Castro said during the same press conference.
(On the closure of ABS-CBN, he was too proud claiming he caused the downfall of an oligarch. But maybe he might just replace them with oligarchs like him. This is why we are condemning this government and its anti-people programs.)
In a speech before government troops in Jolo, Sulu province, on Monday afternoon, Duterte said he is “very happy” that he has “dismantled the oligarchy” in the country even “without declaring martial law.”