‘Chilling effect’ unlikely – Palace
Post-franchise junking impact on PH media downplayed
MALACAÑANG has brushed aside the supposed “chilling effect” on mass media of the House of Representatives’ decision that denied a bid of media giant ABS-CBN Corp. for a fresh 25-year franchise, saying the main business of the radio-TV network was not news but entertainment.
Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. made the statement after the Malacañang Press Corps and other news groups and institutions condemned the House’s rejection of the ABS-CBN franchise as another attack on press freedom and a step toward tyranny. “Hindi po ako naniniwala sa chilling effect. Dahil unang-una, ang negosyo naman po talagang ABS-CBN ay hindi na man po balita ku nd ii to po ay entertainment( I don’t believe in the chilling effect of this. Since, first of all, the business of ABS-CBN is not news, but entertainment),” Roque said during an interview with DZBB radio.
“Iyan po talaga iyong kanilang top grossers. At ang kanilang ‘TV Patrol’ bagama’t maraming nanonood, hindi naman po iyan iyong talagang hanap buhay lang nila (Their entertainment programs are their top grossers and even though many people are watching ‘TV Patrol,’ that’s not their bread and butter),” he added.
Voting 70-11, the House Committee on Legislative Franchises on Friday denied consolidated bills that would have granted the embattled television network a fresh 25-year congressional franchise to resume its broadcast operations.
Malacañang Press Corps, in a statement, denounced the House’s decision against ABS-CBN’s franchise application as “another assault on press freedom in the country.”
“Today is a dark day for journalism,” the organization of journalists regularly covering President Rodrigo Duterte and Malacañang activities said.
“We deplore the blatant and arrogant abuse of power. This is a warning to the press: Do not offend the powers that be,” it added.
The Palace reporters said the country
needed more media organizations especially in this time of health crisis, “not less, to inform the public of the dangers and risks of Covid- 19 and how the government is responding to the crisis, and to make them accountable for their missteps.”
“We grieve for the thousands of employees of ABS- CBN who are now in danger of losing their jobs amid this pandemic. We stand in solidarity in their fight against this State- backed repression of private media,” the press corps said.
‘ Neutral’
Roque maintained Malacañang’s neutrality over the issue, saying ABS- CBN’s franchise was solely in Congress’ hands.
President Duterte had repeatedly threatened to block ABSCBN’s push for a new franchise after the network failed to air his advertisements in the 2016 national elections.
In February, ABS- CBN apologized to the President and explained that the time limits under the election law prohibited the airing of some of his ads.
Duterte had accepted the media giant’s apology and said he would leave the media network giant’s impending franchise renewal to Congress.
“Mula noong humingi ng patawad ang ABS- CBN aynaging neutral. Wala po siyang tinawagan, wala po siyang sinabihan to vote either way ( Ever since ABS- CBN apologized, he maintained a neutral stand. He didn’t call anybody or told anyone to vote either way),” Roque said.
“So, iyan po ayboto sangayon sa konsensiya ng mga
miyembro ng ( So, that is the conscience vote of members of the) House Committee on Legislative Franchises,” he added.
‘ End of road’
But Roque, a former lawmaker, said ABS- CBN could appeal the decision of the House committee because the panel was not a court.
“Walang apela, eh, kasi hindi naman po hukuman ang
isang congressional committee. ( There’s no appeal because a congressional committee is not a court),” he added.
“Kung anong naging desisyon ng komite, iyon na po ang desisyon kasi kapag pinatay
sa committee level, hindi na po makakarating ng plenaryo ( Whatever the decision of the committee is final. When a bill is killed at the committee level, it won’t reach the plenary),” according to Roque.
The Palace official said it was the end of the road for ABS-CBN in the 18th Congress.
Meanwhile, Roque asked the workers affected by the rejection of ABS- CBN’s franchise application to understand that the situation was out of President Duterte’s hands.
“Ako po aynalulungkot talaga na mawawalan sila ng hanapbuhay ngayong panahon ng pandemyapero sana po naintindihan nila, wala pong kinalaman dito ang ating
Presidente ( I feel bad that they will be losing their jobs during the pandemic but I hope they understand that the President had nothing to do with this),” Roque said.
‘ Fake news’
An Iloilo lawmaker in a statement on Saturday said the “fake news” that ABS- CBN had reported over the controversial Dengvaxia issue, making it appear that she was apologizing to parents of children said to have died from the vaccine, was the major factor in her decision to vote against the network’s franchise renewal.
Iloilo First District Rep. Janette Garin, a former Health secretary during the presidency of Benigno ‘ Noynoy’ Aquino 3rd, added that she only raised two matters in connection with the franchise renewal — use of non- experts in discussions and coverage of public- health issues.
She cited a clip of “TV Patrol” wherein she claimed she was made to appear that she was apologizing to the parents of the children said to have died after being injected with the vaccine.
For reasons only known to the network, the interview, which was the actual interview of its radio station — DZMM — was cut in its news on “TV Patrol,” something that went viral as many people were even demanding her resignation at the time.
“What I really wanted to say in public was very different from the cut version that was shown by ABS- CBN. This is an example of blatant disregard for the essence of what an interviewee said, this is what we say willful misrepresentation,” Garin said.
“This is not about vindictiveness. This is about fake news and its impact on public health,” she added.
‘ Silencing spree’
Also on Saturday, Kapatid, a prisoners rights group, described the franchise denial as the government’s “silencing spree” against truth tellers.
Its spokesman Fides Lim said the lawmakers’ action “reveals how this government is hell-bent on silencing those who take to heart the essence of standing up for the Filipino, especially those in the margins, and in the process speak truth to power.”
In the Senate, Sen. Panfilo Lacson also on Saturday said the Senate should respect the House’s decision.
“Since the House of Representatives has done its duty, we [ the Senate] should respect that. Whatever is its reason, be it selfish or not, it is its mandate and authority under the Constitution to approve or disapprove the application for legislative franchises,” he added.
Lacson said the network “may have fallen today but tomorrow is another day and I’m sure they would eventually rise up.”
Meanwhile, Sen. Richard Gordon, chairman of the Senate justice and human rights committee and a member of the Senate majority bloc, also on Saturday said he does not see the logic behind the House’s decision when all should be on the same track toward containing the coronavirus pandemic.
“Eleven thousand Filipinos [ employed by ABS- CBN] just lost jobs. These workers will have a hard time finding a job especially during this time of pandemic, and these people have families,” Gordon noted.