After ABS-CBN Shutdown, Cayetano Says ‘We Simply Put An End To The Privilege Of One Family’

President Duterte has declared that he was able to destroy “oligarchs” controlling the economy and not paying their dues even without “declaring martial law.”

“Sinira ko ‘yung mga tao na humahawak sa ekonomiya at umiipit at hindi nagbabayad,” Duterte said during his speech before soldiers during a clandestine visit at Kuta General Teodulfo Bautista in Jolo, Sulu on Monday, July 13.

The context of the statement was not clear as the speech was recorded and aired only on Tuesday morning, July 14. The Palace claimed it does not edit the President’s videos even as it has stopped airing his speeches live.

But the pronouncement was taken by social media users as a tacit confirmation that Duterte was behind the closure of ABS-CBN because of his grievances against the network since the 2016 general elections where he won as president.

While presidential spokesman Harry Roque issued a clarification that the President’s statement was not about ABS-CBN, his running mate in 2016 – House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano – was more specific in Facebook post on Monday and directly assailed the owners of the network, apparently referring to the Lopezes – for their alleged wrongdoings.

Cayetano, who lost to Vice President Leni Robredo, said as to the oligarchs like the owners of ABS-CBN, “whose historical institutional DNA is programmed to protect and grow their fortunes by controlling and abusing the system, they also deprive the country of billions in much needed funds by skirting and bending the law. Many times in connivance with the political elite.”

In his Facebook post, Cayetano defended the decision of the House of Representative to pass the Anti-Terrorism Act and the committee on legislative franchises’ rejection of ABS-CBN’s application for renewal of franchise.

Unlike terrorists, Cayetano wrote that oligarchs “are able to fully use our legal system to victimize the people” by fielding “de kampanilya” or sought-after “attorneys who expertly twist the law to suit their commercial interests.”

“Yes, their methods for avoiding taxes in the billions of pesos may appear ‘legal,’ but how can you argue that putting that much money in the pockets of one family, instead of having it benefit the millions of Filipinos who desperately need it, is in any way right or moral?” Cayetano asked.

“This is especially glaring when the same privilege of using public airwaves yields a much more beneficial result for the people when used by another network,” Cayetano said, noting that GMA Network, Inc. paid P3.13 billion in taxes from 2017 to 2019, as compared to ABS-CBN’s P563 million during the same period.

“This despite (ABS-CBN) being a bigger company that usually has bigger annual income than GMA,” he added.

While the Bureau of Internal Revenue cleared ABS-CBN of any tax violations, Cayetano said this “makes it crystal clear that something has gone terribly wrong with the system.”

Cayetano claimed the tax issue “is just the tip of the iceberg that sank the network” and that it was not the government that shut ABS-CBN down but its owners “playing fast and loose with our laws in the past decades.”

He stressed this made the shutdown “inevitable.”

For those who continue to push the “freedom of the press card,” the Speaker said Congress “is not stifling the right of any journalist, host, commentator, talent, or employee” of ABS- CBN – or any Filipino for that matter – from criticizing the government.

“We simply put an end to the privilege of one family in using a public resource to protect and promote their private interest,” Cayetano said.

“We can argue about whether or not the journalists of (ABS-CBN) had any political bias, but can anyone who is familiar with Philippine history and politics have the same doubts when it comes to the network’s owners? Or that they leveraged the influence of the network to gain access to favored government contracts?” he added.

The Speaker noted this was the reason why he stood with the decision of the committee on legislative franchises denying the network a fresh 25-year franchise.

Cayetano also pointed out that while his belief in the right of the people – including those who work in the media – to freely express their opinions in whatever platform and manner remains strong, “so is my conviction that private interests should be kept at the same arms-length distance as government from controlling the media.”

“Ultimately, people will come to understand that this was never an issue about press freedom. That despite the best efforts of the owners’ to use it as a shield for their abusive corporate practices, Filipinos will see that this is - first and foremost - simply part of this season’s uprooting of the weeds and a reclaiming our patrimony from the oligarchs” he said.

Grievances

Cayetano maintained the committee on legislative franchises had been objective and fair even if its members voiced out their personal grievances against the network.

The Speaker no longer participated in the hearings on ABS-CBN franchise bills although he said that the issue on media bias was important. In the end, the committee did not rule on alleged political meddling given its large audience reach and other issues against the network’s reporting.

During the 2016 elections, Robredo was featured in ABS-CBN’s “Maalala Mo Kaya” program.

Popular broadcast journalists of the network like Noli de Castro became senator from 2001 to 2004, and then vice president from 2004 to 2010 while now Antique Rep. Loren Legarda was senator for a long time. These made some analysts say media entities like ABS-CBN could be kingmakers.

Even Cayetano’s own father, the late senator Rene Cayetano, became popular through ABS-CBN’s Compañero y Compañera program from 1997 to 1998 aside from being a private prosecutor in the Vizconde massacre case, among other controversial cases.

Read more: Nothing Personal? Congressmen Spend 10 Hours To Air Gripes About ABS-CBN Reporting, Dramas

In another Facebook post on Tuesday, July 14, Cayetano countered Robredo and Sen. Grace Poe’s warning that the decision on ABS-CBN  will have a “chilling” effect on journalists and the freedom of expression, saying “This is Completely False.”

He “invited” Robredo and Poe to read the committee decision, rewatch the hearings, and “maybe come to understand that not breaking the law is not the same as obeying it.”

“And that the only ‘chilling effect’ the denial has are on those who would abuse the system and hold cavalier attitudes towards our laws, and even the Philippine Constitution,” Cayetano said.

 “I agree with Sen. Grace Poe that the denial of the Lopez’s franchise application for (ABS-CBN) sets a precedent. And it is precisely the precedent we want to make - that the House of Representatives will never tolerate anyone, including oligarchs, who will abuse the system and cheat both the government and our people,” he added.

Duterte’s take

Although he did not say it directly, Duterte subtly compared his actions to the time of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos, who imposed martial law from 1972 to 1986 and seized major corporations, including ABS-CBN.

Unlike Marcos, Duterte said, he need not impose martial law to fight against certain businesses held allegedly by the country’s oligarchs. 

“They take advantage of their political power,” the Chief Executive said during his talk with the troops.

Duterte also addressed Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan, who celebrated his birthday last Monday, to explain how some influential people supposedly chart the fate of their candidates during elections.  He even dealt on talks held behind closed doors on how they would provide support to ensure the victories of their candidates.

“Ganoon ‘yan. Sakur, ganoon ‘yan. Every election noon o sa ngayon o bukas sabihin nila sa isang kuwarto lang ‘yan, ‘O adre, sinong kandidato natin ngayon? O ikaw diyan, ikaw ang bahala sa ano ha, you raise the funds’,” Duterte said.

He added it was painful to know how these people supposedly “played the nation”.

“Lima ata lang ang tao. Isang pamilya lang ang nag-uusap diyan. Ganun nilaro nila ang bayan ko,” he lamented.

Dying happy

Proud about his feat in exacting accountability from oligarchs,  Duterte, 75, said he would die happy knowing he has done his part in making sure that he was able to address the issues involving these people with vested self-interests.

“Kaya ako mamatay, mahulog ‘yung eroplano, p***** i**, I am very happy. Alam mo bakit? Sabi ko without declaring martial law, I dismantled the oligarchy that controlled the economy of the Filipino people,” he said.

Sought for clarification on the President’s statement later in the day, Roque said Duterte was talking about his usual pet peeves – the Ayalas, Pangilinan Group and business tycoon Lucio Tan.

In a virtual press briefing at Malacañang, Roque said Duterte’s statement came as a coincidence with the denial of the ABS-CBN”s franchise.

Roque also dismissed insinuations that Duterte has his own cronies while he relentlessly attacked water concessionaires and major telecommunication companies, as well as major news outfits critical to his administration.

Roque also defended Davao-based businessman Dennis Uy, whose business ranged from petroleum to digital start-up, casino franchise, a bakery chain, car dealership and water utility, among others. 

“Wala po kasi si Dennis Uy po they built their fortune because of mining and coal in Diwalwal. So no one can doubt na gold producing ang Diwalwal,” he said.  “So, huwag po nating isipin na ang kayamanan niya ay because of President Duterte. Matagal na po siyang mayaman,” Roque said.

Repercussions

Will the vote and support of a few lawmakers for the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN have consequences?

Three of the 11 congressmen who voted in favor of ABS-CBN and who were also proponents of franchise bills rejected by the committee on legislative franchises last Friday believe so.

Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate, Batangas Rep. Vilma Santos-Recto and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said they expect some sort of "penalties" from the House leadership due to their strong position on the ABS-CBN franchise issue.

But they said they're ready to face such consequences of their action as against the 70 of their colleagues who voted to deny ABS-CBN a new franchise.

They cited previous instances when lawmakers suffered repercussions after going against the position of the House leadership and the majority in controversial measures.

"If in case it will happen – as it was in the past like in the case of the death penalty bill for example – then so be it. Positions and other considerations are just temporary, even fleeting. What is important and lasting is that you stood by your principles and did what you believe is for the best interest of our people, the most vulnerable especially like the affected workers, and the country," Zarate stressed in a text message to reporters.

Still, the deputy minority leader hoped that they would not get any retaliatory action for their vote favoring the network.

"I hope there will be none, especially because the House leadership even said that we should vote according to our conscience," he said.

Santos shared the fear for consequence on their vote for ABS-CBN and confirmed the imposition of penalty on lawmakers taking a stand against the House majority.

"It happened to me already when I voted ‘no’ in the death penalty I lost my (committee) chairmanship," she recalled.

Santos, a deputy speaker, said she is ready to again face the consequence of her vote –  this time on the controversial legislative franchise.

"If my decision on the ABS-CBN franchise will have same consequence, I am ready to accept," she emphasized in an interview.

Lagman, for his part, said he is also ready to face possible consequences of his position.

"Any adverse repercussions to representatives who voted for and/or supported the ABS-CBN franchise renewal is much less than the magnitude of the infringement of press freedom inflicted by the partisan and arbitrary denial of a fresh franchise to the network," he added.   

Aside from Santos, Zarate and Lagman, the 11 members of the committee that voted to grant the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN were Sol Aragones, Christopher De Venecia, Gab Bordado, Lianda Bolilia, Ping Tejada, Benny Abante, Stella Quimbo, Mujiv Hataman and Edward Maceda. 

ABS-CBN said the decision of the committee would affect its 11,071 employees and many others who are depending on the network for their livelihood.