‘Let it pass,’ says Duterte on mess with ABS-CBN

While he said he was hurt by ABS-CBN’s alleged refusal to provide him airtime for his campaign ads during the presidential race in 2016, President Rodrigo Duterte now appears to be turning over a new leaf with the television network.

In a pronouncement that seems to soften his expletive-laced tirades against ABS-CBN, Duterte said he wants to let go of the network’s move to air anti-Duterte ads paid for by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV.

“That was really hurting. Kaya minsan (So sometimes) I blurt it out but I’ve learned to live with it, actually. Kung minsan mag-init lang ang ulo ko (From time to time I get mad),” Duterte said in a speech before the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) on Tuesday night.

“But let’s just understand each other, and let it pass. I said because let no man with no sin cast the first stone,” the chief executive also said during the KBP’s event at Malacañang.

READ: Duterte threatens to block franchise of ABS-CBN

Duterte lamented that during the election, his supposed ad placement on ABS-CBN did not air, but an attack ad sponsored by Trillanes was aired on the network.

“But you know what, ‘wag na lang ‘yung away kasi talagang nasaktan ako doon at nauna pa ‘yung kay Trillanes na black propaganda ‘yung bata. ‘Yung tuturuan sila… (But you know what, let’s not quarrel about this anymore, but I was really hurt that they first aired Trillanes’ black propaganda) which is really against the law,” the President said.

READ: Duterte dares to accompany ABS-CBN in opening his bank account

“‘Yung placement ko na hindi natuloy, tapos nababoy pa ako. Billions and billions sabi raw ng… Hindi naman totoo. Ano man ang makuha nila, sa totoo lang? Tinignan na nila ‘yan. ‘Yan sila diyan. (My ads were not aired, then I was stabbed at the back. There’s no truth in those attack ads. What will they get out of it? ) I never had that money,” he said.

The chief executive had earlier threatened to file estafa charges against ABS-CBN and block its franchise renewal. He also accused the television network of swindling. /ee