Bong Go: ‘PRRD was deeply hurt’, urges co-lawmaker not to politicize ABS-CBN franchise renewal issue
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Although he did not stay and listen to the Senate hearing on the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN yesterday, February 24, Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go said it is more important for the people to know that the network “deeply hurt” President Rodrigo Duterte because of a negative political add against him during the May 2016 elections.
“Kirot at sugat po ang naramdaman ng ating mahal na pangulo. Kung kailan po yan maghihilom, ang ating mahal na pangulo lamang po ang maaring makakasagot,” Go said in an inteview with Cebu press on Tuesday.
Go led the official launching of the Malasakit Center in Eversley Childs Sanitarium and General Hospital at noon on February 25.
Go, who was the president’s aid for over 20 years before becoming a senator, said the former senator and vice-presidential candidate Antonio Trillanes IV played bad politics when he produced and paid for the negative advertisement against Duterte, who was then a presidential candidate.
The negative ad was aired at the Kapamilya network.
“Bakit sya gumawa ng ads para siraan si then candidate Mayor Duterte. Yun po ay maruming paraan ng pamumulitika ang ginawa ni Trillanes,” Go said.
Go said that he feels for the workers of ABS -CBN who may lose their job if the network’s franchise will not be renewed as he says that his priority is the interest of the Filipino workers.
Go urged other legislators not to politicise the discussion of the media outlet’s franchise renewal.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon filed a resolution earlier seeking the extension of the broadcast network’s franchise until December 2022.
ABS-CBN’s franchise is set to expire on March 30, 2020.
Go said the issue on the ABS-CBN franchise should be dealt with now and not on a period when President Duterte’s term would have ended or beyond June 30, 2022.
At the end of the day, Go said, it is would be the president who has the final say whether or not the legislative franchise will be approved. /rcg.
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