Duterte hits Drilon for defending oligarchs like Lopezes of ABS-CBN

July 27, 2020

President Rodrigo Duterte slammed on Monday opposition Senator Franklin Drilon for allegedly defending the oligarchs, specifically the Lopez family who owns ABS-CBN Corp., at the expense of his two children.

In his fifth State of the Nation Address, Duterte said it was saddening that while the government focuses its attention and resources to fight the coronavirus disease pandemic, there are those who take advantage of a "pre-occupied government."

"One of them is Senator Frank Drilon. In an interview, he arrogantly mentioned among others that oligarchs need not be rich. Then he linked the anti-dynasty system with oligarchy and the topic was my daughter and son," he said referring to Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte.

"This happened after the Committee on Franchise voted 70-11 to deny the grant of franchise to ABS-CBN. Obviously, he was defending the Lopezes that they are not oligarchs," he added.

But Drilon, in a radio interview, said that he was not defending the Lopezes but the freedom of the press.

While Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque kept on saying that Duterte took a "neutral" stance on the application of ABS-CBN to renew its franchise with Congress, Duterte, in his SONA, recalled how he became a "casualty" of the Lopezes during the 2016 presidential elections.

"Great wealth enables economic elites and corporations to influence public policy to their advantage. Media is a powerful tool in the hands of oligarchs like the Lopezes who used their media outlets in their battles with political figures. I am a casualty of the Lopezes during the 2016 election," he said.

The House committee on legislative franchises denied ABS-CBN's petition to renew its 25-year franchise that expired last May. Celerina Monte/DMS