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Roque: Oligarchs delivered during COVID-19 crisis, ABS-CBN didn't
The oligarchs whom President Rodrigo Duterte "absolutely detested" delivered during the crisis caused by COVID-19 and ABS-CBN failed to do so in the way they did, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said on Wednesday.
Roque made the remark when he was asked if Duterte was actually neutral as regards the House committee's vote on the network's franchise after he spoke against the broadcast company on several occasions.
It was only recently that he accepted the apology
of its executives. "Ang problema kasi is, you know, as far as the oligarchs that he absolutely detested for cheating the people, for not building the waste water facilities, the difference is they delivered at the time of crisis," Roque said in an interview on ANC.
"Now, hindi ko naman maintindihan kasi why ABS-CBN did not do that," he added.
Roque said ABS-CBN could have done more, comparing the broadcast giant to the Ayalas and Manny Pangilinan.
"I know you donated 200 million... but the rest, you raised from your TV programs, through your cause for donation," Roque said of ABS-CBN.
"But these two companies did it on their own, I do not know why ABS-CBN could not have done more ‘no like what the Ayalas and MVPs did," he added.
In May, Duterte apologized
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Duterte made the statement as he expressed his gratitude to big businesses for assisting the government and aiding the people cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.
“These two companies did it on their own, I do not know why ABS-CBN could not have done more like what the Ayalas and MVP did. I guess that’s the difference,” Roque said.
The House Committee on Legislative Franchises voted to deny ABS-CBN's franchise application last week.
Roque insisted that Duterte was neutral on the issue of the ABS-CBN franchise.
He also said that the President, who claimed to have dismantled the oligarchy in the Philippines, was not referring to the Lopezes.
“The Lopezes are still up and about. They have First Gen [Corp.], they have Rockwell, they have other businesses and obviously iyong sinabi niya sa oligarchs did not actually happen to the Lopezes,” the Palace official said.
ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc. managing director Susan Afan has said that ABS-CBN donated P129 million from 2015 to 2019 to AFI for its various programs such as Sagip Kapamilya, Bantay Bata 163, and Bantay Kalikasan.
She added ABS-CBN also recently gave P52 million for ABS-CBN Foundation’s “Pantawid ng Pag-ibig” campaign that provides relief goods to Filipinos affected by the community quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and delivers personal protective equipment (PPE) to medical frontliners.
The campaign has raised at least P425 million in donations and pledges and served over 820,000 families. -NB, GMA News