Cayetano calls for socio-political, economic change to loosen grip of oligarchs

Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday called for a change in the country's socio-political and economic system in order, he said, to loosen oligarchs' hold on many sectors of the society.

In his speech during the hybrid hearing of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, Cayetano insisted that there are oligarchs in the country, and they vary in every administration.

However, he defended the Duterte administration, claiming that it was able to "level the playing field" and treat everyone equally, whether they come from powerful clans or have close ties with President Rodrigo Duterte.

"In every other administration, may paborito palagi. At kung paborito yung isa, yung hindi paborito umaangal. But that doesn't mean there's no oligarchy," Cayetano said.

"Yes, there are oligarchs in the country. Yung nagsasabing wala at hindi ito totoo, hindi ko alam kung nasaang mundo kayo," he added.

According to Cayetano, these oligarchs are capable of passing laws and also abuse them, and they connive with very powerful politicians whom he said allow themselves to be used.

"Sasabihin niyo sa akin hindi totoo yun? E bakit nagkaroon tayo ng batas na SALN [Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth]? Kaya tayo nagkaroon ng batas na SALN dahil yung ilang politiko na tumutulong sa ilang negosyo, yumayaman na galing sa masama," he said.

"Maraming nakakalusot dahil maraming nagpapalusot dahil pumapayag tayo na magpalusot," he added.

Cayetano also said that he was not trying to say he was "holier than everyone else" as that "everyone" is guilty in this system.

"There are good people and there are bad people in the oligarchy and in the oligarchic system [and] we're in a chance now to change the ecosystem. We're not saying kayo, kayo, kayo guilty. Sinasabi ko lahat tayo guilty," he said.

"So our job is to fix what's broken, to bring new life to a new socio-political and economic system," he added.

Cayetano also said that the public should work with the government believing that "we are all redeemable."

"I-encourage natin na maliwanagan ang mga kabataan ngayon na there is true change in the air," he added.

Duterte, in a speech aired earlier this week, boasted of dismantling the country's oligarchy without declaring martial law, pointing out that these oligarchs have been controlling the country's economy for years.

Although the President's speech about oligarchs came only days after the ABS-CBN franchise application was denied, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte was not referring to the Lopezes, who own ABS-CBN, but to tycoon Lucio Tan, the Ayalas and Manuel V. Pangilinan (MVP).

However, an unedited audio clip of the chief executive's speech indicated that Duterte talked about ABS-CBN and the scuttled oligarchy after a rant against some business leaders, and these appear to have been edited out of the video posted on the website of the Presidential Communications Operations Office.

Despite the uncut audio showing that Duterte was talking about ABS-CBN, Roque maintained that the president’s statement was not about the Lopez family. — BM, GMA News