EJK of press freedom ‘nonsense’ claim: Palace

MANILA -- Albay First District Rep. Edcel Lagman’s claim that there is an “extrajudicial killing” of press freedom under President Rodrigo Duterte’s watch is “nonsense,” Malacañang said on Friday.

In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador

Panelo said the executive branch prefers to ignore Lagman’s allegation rather than give the solon a media mileage.

“We will not respond to another nonsense from him. Those issues have been bled dry by rambunctious critics like him, and have been responded to before,” the Palace official said.

“We will not repeat ourselves. We will not accommodate him just to make him earn media mileage,” he added.

Panelo’s statement

was in response to Lagman’s recent call on Duterte to bring his personal grievances against local broadcast network ABSCBN Corporation to the proper judicial or administrative forum, instead of “imposing an extrajudicial killing of the freedom of the press.”

Lagman’s appeal came after Duterte on Monday advised the Lopez family to just put ABS-CBN on sale.

The President’s proposal came, as he renewed his vow

that the ABS-CBN, whose franchise will lapse on Mar. 30, 2020, would lose its battle to renew its 25-year legislative franchise.

Television and radio broadcasting firms in the Philippines are mandated to get a franchise, as provided by Republic Act 3846.

A congressional franchise bill must be first approved by the House of Representatives and the Senate before the President can either sign it into law or veto it.