President Rodrigo Duterte still isn’t done with ABS-CBN.
Last Monday, February 8, Duterte emphasized that the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) will not give the network its franchise unless they pay their taxes.
However, government agencies tasked with probing the alleged infractions of the broadcasting company have proved that ABS-CBN is innocent. Nevertheless, the president is determined to not give the network its license until the end of his term.
As a result, Kapamilya celebrities took to Twitter their response to the tirade of Duterte.
Actor Enchong Dee wants the president to wake up to the fact that many Filipinos are still trying to survive because of the pandemic and the Philippines’ economy failing. Enchong also wrote that even ABS-CBN does not have a franchise, they are still able to serve the Filipino people.
Andyan ka pa rin?? Hoy Gising! Ang daming Pilipino naghihirap ngayon, yun muna unahin natin… kahit wala kaming franchise nakakapagbigay serbisyo kami. https://t.co/qflActyqcq
— Enchong Dee (@enchongdee777) February 8, 2021
Comedian John Lapus also attacked Duterte by calling him either senile or insane because of how senseless he is.
Senile na or Bangag? Wala na e. Kung ano-ano na sinasabi. 🤪
— John Lapus (@KorekKaJohn) February 9, 2021
For actor Alex Medina, commodities getting more expensive should be the priority of Duterte. Prices of pork and chicken have risen because of how damaged the Philippines’ economy is due to the pandemic.
Taena mahal ng bilihin ngayon baka gusto mo unahin yun https://t.co/h4dUPTwOJg
— Alex (@anakngartista) February 9, 2021
Actress Nikki Valdez said that even with the pandemic now being around for more than a year, Duterte is still focused on ABS-CBN rather than the health crisis.
Mag iisang taon na sa March ang pandemya, tax parin ng ABSCBN ang problema? 🤪
— NVG 🌸💚 (@nikkivaldez_) February 8, 2021
Pia Magalona even summarized Duterte’s nation’s address by calling it “babblings in a nutshell”.
Last night’s babblings in a NUTshell https://t.co/dymqda3hP5
— Pia Magalona ⁷ (@piamagalona) February 9, 2021
TV host Kiko Rustia pointed out that Duterte just confirmed he was the one behind the shutdown of ABS-CBN despite his supporters claiming that the president had nothing to do with it.
So si Duterte nga ang nagdidikta.
Dami pa nilang drama na di sya nakikialam. https://t.co/7lUm7XFyKf
— kiko rustia (@kikorustia) February 8, 2021
Actress Ria Atayde posted a GIF of singer Justin Timberlake giving the look as if she couldn’t believe that the president still thinks that ABS-CBN had violated the government’s laws.
https://t.co/IlzFhOpmbm pic.twitter.com/Kxh4KafSHJ
— Ria Atayde (@RiaAtayde) February 8, 2021
For seasoned writer Jerry Grácio, Duterte wanted to silence the network who criticized him by removing its franchise to operate. Despite his efforts, ABS-CBN is still very much alive and is doing very well despite its shutdown. That is why the president went on a nonsense tirade despite BIR and SEC clearing the network of any violations.
Akala kasi ni Duterte, mapapatahimik niya ang network nung tanggalan ito ng prangkisa ng mga alipores niya sa Kongreso. E, buhay pa rin, namamayagpag pa. Ayun, asar talo kaya mema.
— Jerry B. Grácio (@JerryGracio) February 8, 2021
Last Monday, February 8, Duterte addressed the nation and talked about the Lopezes getting its franchise back. However, he stressed that until ABS-CBN pays what they owe to the government, which is the alleged taxes, the network will not have their license to operate.
“Unless and until mabayaran ng mga Lopez ang mga taxes nila, I will ignore your franchise and I will not give them the license to operate, before talking about the DBP loans,” Duterte said.
Contrary to his claims that the corporate giant had tax infractions, last year, February 24, 2020, representatives from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) confirmed that the Network did not violate any regulations.
Simplicio Cabantac Jr., Unit Head of BIR’s Large Taxpayer’s Unit even stated that ABS-CBN had been filing and paying their taxes on a regular basis.
“They are regularly filing and paying their taxes for the past number of years,” Cabantac said.
Furthermore, BIR disclosed the amount that the broadcasting company has paid from 2016 to 2019, which amounted to P14.398 billion.
In 2019, ABS-CBN made a deal with BIR and paid P152.44 million for assessed deficiencies in their income tax, value-added tax, and documentary stamp tax payments.
