MANILA: DU30 TO LOPEZ – Sell ABS-CBN

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“Itong ABS mag-expire ang contract ninyo. Mag-renew kayo, ewan ko lang kung may mangyari sa inyo (Your contract is about to expire. I don’t know if you will get a renewal),” Duterte said in a speech in M’lang, Cotabato on Monday.

“Ako pa sa iyo, ipagbili na ninyo ‘yan. Kasi ang Pilipino ngayon lang makaganti sa inyong kalokohan (If I were you, I would sell the network. Filipinos are just starting to get even for your wrongdoings). And I will make sure that you will remember this episode of our times forever,” he said.

The franchise of the Lopez-owned network will expire in March 2020.

Several bills renewing the firm’s franchise are pending at the House of Representatives.

Tycoon Manuel Pangilinan said his group is open to negotiating with ABS-CBN for the possible airing of the latter’s programs on TV5 network if it fails to secure a new franchise.
Pangilinan, who is the chairman of the network’s parent company PLDT Inc., said that they were “prepared to talk” with ABS-CBN if it wants to secure TV5’s block time.

“We don’t have much entertainment content. It’s up to them,” he told reporters.

“I don’t want to be presumptuous. We don’t want to take the first step,” Pangilinan added.
The President had repeatedly threatened to block the renewal of the network’s franchise.

“ABS-CBN, you’re a mouthpiece of… Ang inyong franchise, mag-end next year (Your franchise will expire next year). If you are expecting ma-renew ‘yan (that it will be renewed), I’m sorry. I will see to it that you’re out,” Duterte said.

Duterte has repeatedly criticized ABS-CBN for allegedly not airing a 2016 campaign ad that he paid for and instead showed a TV spot that was critical of him and was allegedly paid for by his critic, former senator Antonio Trillanes 4th.

With Lisbet K. Esmael

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