Defensor: ‘No problem’ with daughter expressing support for ABS-CBN

Anakalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor during the weekly briefing at the House of Representatives. INQUIRER.net file photo / Noy Morcoso

MANILA, Philippines — Anakalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor claimed Tuesday giving his daughter a go signal to express support for ABS-CBN, saying he has “no problem” with such remarks despite his vote to deny the network’s bid for a 25-year franchise.

Defensor said this after his daughter, Mikee, took to social media hinting that she does not share her father’s stand on the issue and even mentioning that she tried to discuss the issue with him at home.

“I think that to assume that we share the same opinion is unfair. I’ve had my own share of arguments and debates in my own home in order to prevent all this from happening,” Mikee said in a tweet shared by various personalities in politics and entertainment.

In an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel’s Headstart, Defensor said that he gave Mikee a go signal before his daughter published the online post.

But Defensor said that following the post, he told Mikee to be “careful” as her post is being used to create a narrative indicating that the two of them have issues.

“In fact, before she posted that, she asked me if she could post such a message and I said, ‘Yes, no problem.’ It’s just now that I’ve been telling her na, ‘Mikee, you have to be careful because some people are using it as a narrative as if you are fighting me or they are creating a problem between father and daughter and I think we both understand that,’” Defensor said.

Defensor added that he has no problem with dissent and debates on ABS-CBN’s franchise but said that he does not want his family to be used on the issue especially that “what is coming out is very dirty.”

“As far as I am concerned even among friends, friends from UP, my daughter and my family, I allow dissent, I allow debate, I encourage them to be involved and to understand the issues and I told her as a father, I think we should nurture our children for love of country and love of God,” Defensor said.

“So for me, I have no problem with that. Ayoko lang siyang pumasok doon sa usapin na nagagamit siya (I just don’t want her to involve herself in issues where she is being used). She should try to avoid that because this is really—what is coming out is very dirty,” the lawmaker added.

The lawmaker also appealed to the public to understand the decision of the House panel on legislative franchise as he claimed that his house was “attacked” a few days ago by people conducting a noise barrage.

“You understand that my house was attacked several days ago, there were people here who had noise barrage and they are not used to that and I have a small child so I told them, there’s a situation where all you’ve just come down and I’m also asking our people, we made a decision based on our duties, the report is there, you can see the basis of our decision,” Defensor said.

Defensor was among the 70 lawmakers who voted against granting ABS-CBN a franchise, with only 11 lawmakers voted for the granting of the franchise.

The network has been off the air since early May after its television and radio operations nationwide were ordered shut following the expiration of its 25-year franchise, the renewal of which was pending in Congress at the time.

JPV