A Congressman revealed Thursday that a representative from ABS-CBN allegedly called him and tried to buy his vote in favor of the network’s franchise renewal.
The House is expected to end voting for ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal this week. The company’s license to operate expired on May 4.
“May tumawag sa atin, nagpakilalang emisaryo ng ABS-CBN at hinihimok tayong bumoto pabor sa ABS-CBN kapalit ng P200 milyon,” sabi ni ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Eric Yap.
(Someone called us and introduced as an emissary of ABS-CBN and urges us to vote in favor of ABS-CBN for P200 million.)
“Simple lang ang sagot ko, hindi for sale ang prinsipyo at boto ko,” he added.
(My answer is simple, my principle and vote are not for sale.)
Yap said he received the call two weeks ago. He did not immediately disclose it because he had not yet ascertained whether ABS-CBN had actually ordered the call.
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Solon claims ABS-CBN tried to buy his vote in franchise renewal
ABS-CBN has since denied the accusation of Yap, saying they were fighting fairly to get their franchise back.
“ABS-CBN did not send an emissary to bribe any lawmaker to vote in favor of our franchise application,” said the company.
“We believe in the process, and we have participated in the process. We answered all issues raised in the past 12 hearings,” it added.
Yap is an ally of President Rodrigo Duterte, who earlier said he would not renew the station’s franchise if he had it his way. The network failed Duterte’s political ads during the 2016 elections.
“Now, ABS-CBN, their franchise is due for renewal… But I will never also intervene. But if I had my way, I will not give it back to you,” Duterte said in 2018.
Despite this, the president said he has already forgiven the company after ABS-CBN president and chief executive officer (CEO) Carlo Katigbak apologized. Duterte added he would not intervene in the polls and would leave everything to the legislature.
Meanwhile, Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano also announced that he would not influence his congressional colleagues in making the ABS-CBN franchise renewal decision.
Cayetano, whose President Rodrigo Duterte’s running-mate in 2016, earlier said he also experienced the “unfair airtime” of ABS-CBN during the campaign period.
