July 10, 2020 – 70 members of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Legislative Franchises delivered the most stunning blow to PH Press Freedom after Martial Law by refusing to renew the franchise of the country’s largest and most trusted television network. The decision came after 13 days of deliberations over allegations that have all been cleared by the Department of Justice, National Telecommunication Commission, and Bureau of Internal Revenue.
Allies and propagandists of Duterte maintain that this is an issue of violations of a private company and has nothing to do with politics. But as it goes, the only “offense” of the network seems to be their unwillingness to bow down to power even as the president repeatedly threatened that he would make sure that the renewal of their franchise would not happen.
See:
Duterte to ABS-CBN: Next year, you’re out
Duterte to ABS-CBN: Promote federalism, we’ll settle case
TIMELINE: Duterte against ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal
The 70 representatives who made this brazen assault on press freedom are the following:
1. Rep. Abraham Tolentino – Cavite, 8th District
2. Rep. Antonio Albano – Isabela, 1st District
3. Rep. Faustino Michael Carlos Dy III – Isabela, 5th District
4. Rep. Jose Antonio Sy-Alvarado – Bulacan, 1st District
5. Rep. Cyrille Abueg-Zaldivar – Palawan, 2nd District
6. Rep. Faustino Dy V – Isabela, 6th District
7. Rep. Dale Malapitan – Caloocan City, 1st District
8. Rep. Eric Martinez – Valenzuela City, 2nd District
9. Rep. Divina Grace Yu – Zamboanga del Sur, 1st District
10. Rep. Julienne Baronda – Iloilo City, Lone District
11. Rep. Anthony Peter “Onyx” Crisologo – Quezon City, 1st District
12. Rep. Luis Ferrer IV – Cavite, 6th District
13. Rep. John Marvin “Yul Servo” Nieto – Manila, 3rd District
14. Rep. Strike Revilla – Cavite, 2nd District
15. Rep. Samantha Louise Alfonso – Cagayan, 2nd District
16. Rep. Rolando Valeriano – Manila, 2nd District
17. Rep. Joaquin Chipeco Jr. – Calamba City, Lone District
18. Rep. Eduardo Gullas – Cebu, 1st District
19. Rep. Eleandro Jesus Madrona – Romblon, Lone District
20. Rep. Frederick Siao – Iligan City, Lone District
21. Rep. Ian Paul Dy – Isabela, 3rd District
22. Rep. Gil “Kabaranggay Jr.” Acosta – Palawan, 3rd District
23. Rep. Weslie Gatchalian – Valenzuela City, 1st District
24. Rep. Prescious H. Castelo – Quezon City, 2nd District
25. Rep. Alyssa Sheena Tan – Isabela, 4th District
26. Rep. Christian Unabia – Misamis Oriental, 1st District
27. Rep. Raymond Mendoza – Trade Union Congress of the Philippines Party-list
28. Rep. Jericho Nograles – Puwersa ng Bayang Atleta Party-list
29. Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez – Tingog Sinirangan Party-list
30. Rep. Eric Yap – ACT-CIS Party-list
31. Rep. Claudine Bautista – DUMPER PTDA Party-list
32. Rep. Esmael Mangudadatu – Maguindanao, 2nd District
33. Rep. Enrico Pineda – 1-PACMAN Party-list
34. Rep. Dulce Ann Hofer – Zamboanga Sibugay, 2nd District
35. Rep. Sharon Garin – AAMBIS-OWA Party-list
36. Rep. Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. – Negros Oriental, 3rd District
37. Rep. Janette Garin (Ex-Officio) – Iloilo, 1st District
38. Rep. Paolo Duterte – Davao City, 1st District
39. Rep. Juan Fidel Felipe Nograles – Rizal, 2nd District (Ferdinand Hernandez – South Cotabato, 2nd District)
40. Rep. Conrado III Estrella – Abono Party-list
41. Rep. Sandro Gonzales – Marino Party-list (Rep. Prospero Pichay Jr. – Surigao del Sur, 1st District)
42. Rep. Michael “Mike” Defensor – ANAKALUSUGAN Party-list (Rep. Roberto Puno – Antipolo City, 1st District)
43. Rep. Allan Ty – PGMA Party-list (Rep. Alexandria Gonzales – Lone District of the City of Mandaluyong)
44. Rep. Francisco Jose “Bingo” Matugas II – Surigao del Norte, 1st District (Rep. J. Pimentel – Surigao del Sur, 2nd District)
45. Rep. Luis Villafuerte Jr. – Camarines Sur, 2nd District
46. Rep. Raneo Abu – Batangas, 2nd District
47. Rep. Dan Fernandez – Laguna, 1st District
48. Rep. Rodante Marcoleta – Sagig Party-list
49. Rep. Henry Oaminal – Misamis Occidental, 2nd District
50. Rep. Pablo John Garcia – Cebu, 3rd District
51. Rep. Deogracias ‘DV’ Savellano – Ilocos Sur, 1st District
52. Rep. Francisco Datol – SENIOR CITIZENS, Party-list (Rep. Michael Odylon “Mike” Romero – 1-PACMAN Party-list)
53. Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez – Leyte, 1st District
54. Rep. Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla – Cavite, 7th District
55. Rep. Juan Miguel Macapagal Arroyo – Pampanga, 2nd District
56. Rep. Cristal Bagatsing – Manila, 5th District
57. Rep. Juan Pablo Bondoc – Pampanga, 4th District
58. Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. – Cavite, 4th District
59. Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy – BH Party-List
60. Rep. Xavier Jesus Romualdo – Camiguin, Lone District
61. Rep. Antonino Calixto – Pasay City, Lone District (Rep. Josephine Veronique “Jaye” Lacson-Noel – Malabon, Lone District)
62. Rep. Wilter Palma II – Zamboanga Sibugay, 1st District
63. Rep. Ma. Theresa Collantes – Batangas, 3rd District
64. Rep. Ria Christina Fariñas – Ilocos Norte, 1st District
65. Rep. Camille Villar – Las Piñas City, Lone District
66. Rep. Roger G. Mercado – Southern Leyte, Lone District
67. Rep. Sharee Ann Tan – Samar, 2nd District
68. Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano – ABANG LINGKOD Party-list
69. Rep. Bayani Fernando – Marikina City, 1st District
70. Rep. Jose Singson Jr. – PROBINSYANO AKO Party-list
In the past, Duterte has made verbal threats against former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, Senators Leila de Lima and Antonio Trillanes, and journalist Maria Ressa. Cases have been filed by Duterte’s allies against each one of them with his office feigning innocence as they do now with ABS-CBN.
Update 6/27/2022
Duterte finally admits that he orchestrated the closure of ABS-CBN. This confirms that all previous excuses from his own staff and propagandists that he had nothing to do with it were all lies. One would think that this should be big deal but in a country like ours where integrity is non-existent, where abuse, misogyny, corruption, and murder are all acceptable by the voting public, this is a norm. Welcome to hell, I guess.
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