President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, February 8, stressed that he will not give ABS-CBN its franchise back.
“I will not allow the NTC (National Telecommunications Commission) to give them the permit to operate,” said Duterte during his nation’s address.
According to the president, he will only give the station its license once they pay their taxes.
“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,” he added.
However, government agencies such as the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Security Exchange Commission (SEC) have stated that ABS-CBN did not violate any laws nor failed to pay taxes.
This led to netizens and former, as well as current employees of the network to give their opinion towards the president’s remark.
@rryyyaaaannnn questioned the president, who was a lawyer, yet was deaf to the agencies who vouched for the network. Though one thing is clear for the netizen, Duterte wants the Lopezes to suffer.
Akala ko ba abogado si Duterte pero bakit hindi niya pinapakinggan ang mismong ahensya ng gobyerno na nagsabing hindi tax delinquent ang ABS-CBN?
Simple lang ang sagot.
Bobo si Duterte. Tanga si Duterte. At ginigipit niya lang ang pamilya Lopez para magatasan at maperahan niya.
— Ryan (@rryyyaaaannnn) February 8, 2021
In his next tweet, he criticized National Telecommunications Commission for following the President’s whims. The netizen also ridiculed the followers of Duterte as to how they were able to support an abusive leader.
When are you going to be brave enough and stand up against Duterte, Congress and NTC?
And to his supporters, hindi pa rin ba malinaw na garapalan at harap-harapan na ang panggigipit at pag-abusi sa pwesto ni Duterte?
When are you all going to wake up and call out this madman? https://t.co/EtwPAht9Xv
— Ryan (@rryyyaaaannnn) February 8, 2021
Rod Magaru expressed his disgust with the recent statement of Duterte. Magaru stated on his Twitter that the president is misinformed regarding the alleged violation of the network.
He is comfortably MISINFORMED LOL.😂 https://t.co/GwCnh5BHXi
— Rod Magaru (@rodmagaru) February 8, 2021
Twitter personality @majasuperstar was sure that ABS-CBN will not get its franchise unless Duterte gets booted out of his position since he has personal issues with the network.
https://twitter.com/majasuperstar/status/1358786580748533761
Talent handler Gerald Ivan Cruz even stressed that the network had no debt to the government. That is why Cruz wonders how will ABS-CBN pay if they do not owe anything to begin with.
https://twitter.com/VanDCruz/status/1358787082391408640
A former employee of the network, Nick Villavecer, laughed at the fact that the cronies of Duterte have claimed that the president had nothing to do with the TV station’s termination. However, with the recent remark of Duterte proves that he was the one behind it all.
Funny how the Palace spokespersons — from Panelo to Roque — previously insisted that their boss has nothing to do with the non-renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise. Duterte’s soundbite tonight is another proof that he is the chief conductor of all these attacks. https://t.co/s2BUy9eV2c
— Nick Villavecer (@nickvillavecer) February 8, 2021
Twitter personality @PinoyAkoBlog was astounded by the president who seems to cannot get a move on with the network he shut down. The netizen emphasized that despite everything, from the pandemic to the failing economy of the Philippines, he still has time to harass ABS-CBN.
Di pa Siya tapos sa Kapamilya? Gutom at pandemya na ang nararanasan ng bansa, ABS-CBN pa din? Kaloka tong presidente na to. 🙄🙄🙄 https://t.co/ZoUW71R5Na
— Jover Laurio (@PinoyAkoBlog) February 8, 2021
Netizen @ImNotthatScary wrote on his Twitter that the president is indeed a dictator. Furthermore, the netizen reiterated the statement of BIR and Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) that ABS-CBN is cleared from all tax-related allegations.
Malinaw na malinaw. Diktador. Sang BIR branch ba itong unsettled taxes na binabanggit ng matandang Ito? Kasi both DBP and BIR cleared ABS-CBN from all tax-related allegations. Halatang tulog lang nang tulog maghapon si Tatay. https://t.co/5VooAsbapG
— Je (@ImNotthatScary) February 8, 2021
Former ABS-CBN Social Media Manager France Sajorda tweeted that DDS should stop with their defense that their president has nothing to do with ABS-CBN’s shutdown. This is because of Duterte’s remark which revealed that he was the reason the network was closed.
So yun na nga… So itigil na ng mga DDS ang script na walang kinalaman ang tatay nila sa ABS-CBN Shutdown. Malinaw na malinaw. https://t.co/JqwWMFId1P
— Miss France Sajorda (@PrincessFrance) February 8, 2021
Netizen @jpvaldez_2020 stated that the president has the power to ignore the resolution from Congress reviving the franchise of the network, then it will be a law, with or without his signature, once it surpasses 30 days without his decision. However, the netizen also pointed out that the TV station was cleared by BIR when it comes to their taxes. Hence, his statement that ABS-CBN needs to pay its taxes is misleading.
He can ignore kasi kapag naipasa sa Congress, then Senate, and now in his office, if after 30 days no signature is placed, automatically, it'll lapse into a law.
At FYI lang po, ilang beses na sinabi mismo ng BIR, sa mga hearing na ang ABS-CBN ay cleared sa pagbabayad ng buwis, https://t.co/zPrwII2pDX
— John Paulo Valdez (@jpvaldez_2020) February 8, 2021
Twitter user @nnr_xyx pointed out that the network is very much alive with or without its franchise.
Ooops nadulas 😅 hnd magaling ang nag brief! May prangkisa o wala, ABS is so much alive!!!! Inis talo pa sainyo!!! 🤣 https://t.co/rYbUz2OUTj
— nini (@nnr_xyx) February 8, 2021
Last February 24, 2020, representatives from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Security Exchange Commission (SEC) have stated that the network did not violate any of their regulations.
During the Senate Committee, Simplicio Cabantac Jr., head of a unit of the BIR Large Taxpayers Service have stated that the network regularly files and pays their taxes yearly.
“They are regularly filing and paying their taxes for the past number of years,” Simplicio said.
According to the BIR, the network has paid P14.398 billion in taxes for the year 2016 to 2019.
Furthermore, the media giant has 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
Meanwhile, SEC Commissioner Ephyro Luis Amatong has stated that there were no violations of ABS-CBN that he was aware of.
Additionally, their alleged unpaid loan to the state bank DBP was cleared by the bank itself.
During the hearing on Monday, January 18, 2021, DBP president Emmanuel Herbosa said there was nothing irregular in the bank’s disposal of the non-performing loans (NPLs) and non-performing assets (NPAs) by the companies belonging to the Lopez Group then.
“These NPLs and NPAs were dealt with in the regular course of business and disposed of by DBP pursuant to Republic Act No. 9182, entitled The Special Purpose Vehicles Act of 2002, as amended by RA No. 9343 and other applicable laws, which authorized financial institutions, like DBP to transfer NPLs and NPAs to SPVs (special purpose vehicles) created under the Act,” Herbosa said.
Furthermore, during the Congress’ hearing, no solid violations were found against ABS-CBN. Hence, the network has complied with the government throughout its shutdown.
