Duterte to Lopezes: Sell ABS-CBN

December 30, 2019

President Rodrigo Duterte said on Monday that it would be better for the owner of broadcast network ABS-CBN to sell the station.

Duterte made the unsolicited advice as he renewed his threat to the Lopez-owned company of not renewing its franchise, which is set to expire by March 30, 2020.

"ABS-CBN, your contract will expire. I don't think your (franchise) will be renewed. If I were you, sell it," he said.

"And I will make sure that you will remember this episode of our times forever," Duterte said.

He said that it is only now that a president of the country goes after the "oligarchs" who have been enriching themselves at the expense of the Filipinos.

He said his predecessors were afraid of money and with ABS-CBN.

Since Duterte assumed office in 2016, he said he would oppose the renewal of ABS-CBN franchise after it allegedly collected money from him when he was running for president and yet it did not air his campaign ad.

Duterte again hit the Philippine Daily Inquirer for being the "mouthpiece of the oligarchs."

"You are no better than a prostitute. You sell your talent to the rich against the poor," he said.

Duterte also renewed his warning to send to jail the Ayalas, owner of Manila Water Company, Inc., and Manuel V. Pangilinan, chairman of Maynilad Water Services, Inc.

"This issue of the Ayalas and Pangilinan, all billionaires, is an issue of corruption and you fooled the people," he said, referring to "onerous" and "disadvantageous" water concession agreements signed in 1997 with the government.

He reiterated that he would not allow extended contracts signed during the Arroyo administration to continue.

In 2009, the Arroyo administration granted Manila Water and Maynilad to extend the contracts until 2037 even if the initial agreements were yet to expire in 2022. Celerina Monte/DMS