A veteran journalist made an open letter addressed to Palawan, First District Representative Franz Alvarez who’s going to handle the discussion over the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN.

In the letter, Jay Sonza mentioned the alleged violations made by ABS-CBN in the past years so it could help Alvarez to address those issues when they already started discussing whether or not the television network deserved a franchise renewal.

Sonza also urged Alvarez to invite all parties concerned in his committee if he really wanted to give a fair chance to the television network.

Here’s what Sonza said in his open letter:

“Rep. Franz Alvarez
Chairman, Franchise Committee
House of Representatives

Dear Mr. Alvarez,

You said your committee would like to give abs-cbn and all parties concern, a fair chance in the committee deliberation on the franchise renewal issue.

I would like to help you by advancing these issues against the company, to wit:

1. violation of the social amelioration laws on social security, housing and universal health care.
– non payment of the mandatory SSS contrubution for all the employees regardless of status from day one of employment. A criminal offense.
– non payment of the mandatory philhealth contributions for all the employees of the network.
– non remittance of the mandatory pagibig fund contributions for all the employees.
– non payment of the mandatory contributions in the employees compensation for all the employees.
2. Violation of Labor Laws and practices and union bustings
– There are more that 20 different labor cases/complaints against the company for various violation of existing labor laws.
3. Violation of the law on women and children.
4. Violation of the Revenue Code of the Philippines. Tax evasion and tax avoidance cases against the network.
5. Violation of the national security and patrimony of the nation
6. Violation of the foundation and charitable institution laws and regulations.
7. Violation of Trade and Commerce laws, rules and regulation.
8. Violation of the Omnibus Election Law, rules and regulations.
9. Violation of the national telecommunication law, rules and regulations.
10. Violation of the Congressional Franchise granted to the company.

If you are true to your word, invite all parties concerned into your committee hearings so that your members can be properly informed, educated and enlightened.

Failure on your part to hear the testimonies and peruse the documents against the network could only mean that you and your committee members were bought with monies and other considerations by the lobbyist.

Thank you and more power,”

The franchise of ABS-CBN is set to expire in March 2020 and President Rodrigo Duterte is still stating that he wanted the television network to close for good.

Despite the criticisms threw by the President against ABS-CBN, Rep. Alvarez said that they’re still going to discuss the franchise renewal of the television network giant.

“The advice of Speaker Alan (Peter Cayetano) to us was to make sure that we would be always fair and impartial in reviewing the application of ABS-CBN, or the application of any other public utility, for that matter. At the same time it is Congress’ duty to accept complaints and hear issues brought up in any contain or objection,” Alvarez said in a statement on Saturday.

“But we should all be reminded that under the law, the grant of a franchise is not a right, but a privilege. This is why we have to hear all sides and find out if ABS-CBN violated the provisions of its franchise,” he added.

Vice President and dismissed ICAD co-chair Leni Robredo finally revealed her findings on the Duterte administration’s fight against drugs.

On Monday, Robredo said that the authorities only focused on the “street-level enforcement” that’s why it doesn’t affect the supply of drugs in the country.

According to her, the government didn’t focus on the big suppliers that’s why they’re having a hard time on solving the problem.

“Failure talaga siya dahil ‘yung kampanya laban sa ilegal na droga, maraming aspeto ito. Maraming aspeto at nakikita natin, gaya ng sinabi ko sa report, na masyado nang natutukan ‘yung street-level enforcement, ‘yung pagtugis sa maliit na mga pushers at users,” the Vice President said.

“At kahit gawin ito araw-araw, kung hindi naman inaasikaso ‘yung supply constriction na nanggagaling, ‘yun ‘yung pagtugis ng mga malalaking suppliers, talagang hindi matatapos ang problema,” she added.

She also revealed that the drugs being consumed per year is P1.3-T, but the Anti-Money Laundering Council was only able to seize P1.4-B from the operations of the authorities.

“Isang porsiyento. Isipin na lang natin, kung exam ito, ang magiging score ng ating pamahalaan ay 1 over 100,” she said.

The Vice President said that the current strategy of the government is one-sided and only prioritizing the safety of law enforcement.

“Mula sa datos na ito, makikita natin na kinakailangan ang pagpalit ng stratehiya. Kasama na rito ang pagtigil sa Tokhang at paglabas ng bagong kasulatang mayroong mas malinaw na layunin at operational guidelines para maiwasan ang mga naging abuso ng iilan sa kampanyang ito,” Robredo said.

Robredo then urged the government to scrap Oplan Tokhang and target the big suppliers and not the small ones.

“Kung gusto talaga nating tapusin ang salot ng iligal na droga, ang malalaking supplier, at hindi lang ang maliliit na pusher, ang kailangan nating habulin,” she said in her speech.

Senator Ronald Dela Rosa believes that the Duterte administration is running out of time in fighting lawbreakers and drugs.

In an interview with dwIZ, Dela Rosa said that there are only two years left before President Rodrigo Duterte steps down, and he wanted someone to continue what the current administration started.

He suggested that another member of the Duterte family should be the next President, so the work of the current chief executive continues.

“Running out of time kaya siguro kailangan pa natin ng isa pang Duterte para magtuloy-tuloy ang trabaho,” said Dela Rosa.

According to him, there are some politicians qualified to be the President. However, they’re not at the same level of toughness as Duterte.

Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte is one of the possible candidates in the 2022 presidential election, however, the lady politician is still not talking about her future political plans.

Dela Rosa also believes that pushing for the revival of capital punishment could help the government in eliminating lawbreakers.

This 2020, he said that he would ask the committee to talk about the possible revival of capital punishment.

Senator Ronald Dela Rosa spent the first week of 2020 to roam around Mindanao, including Mount Apo in Davao region.

On a Facebook post, he shared that he climbed the tallest mountain in the Philippines to gather flowers for his wife, Nancy.

“I climbed mt apo just to buy this bouquet of flowers for my wife Nancy,” Dela Rosa said.

The photo went viral, reaching 7,400 shares on social media.

It also showed that Dela Rosa brought his big bike in his travel along the Davao region.

His motorbike captured the attention of the netizens because of its expensive price, however, his supporters said that the Senator could afford it using his retirement funds from leaving the Philippine National Police.

A few days ago, Dela Rosa also used his bike to travel and visited some memorable places in his life.

“Sitio polipog, bgy sta cruz, panabo city my playground during my 2Lt days,” he said.

Vice President Leni Robredo reacted to the demise of an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) based in Kuwait.

In her radio program, Robredo said that the government should not allow the case of OFW Jeanlelyn Villavende to happen again next time.

“Dapat siguruhin na hindi na siya mangyayari sa susunod,” she said in her radio program “Biserbisyong Leni”.

Villavende’s demise was being blamed to her Kuwaiti employer and the Philippine Government vowed to hire the best lawyers in Kuwait to give justice to the OFW.

Robredo said that the government should review the memorandum of agreement between the Philippines and Kuwait which signed after the case of Joanna Demafelis, the OFW who found lifeless inside her employer’s freezer.

“Nagkaroon na rin ng ganito, na-suspend siya 2018, Kailangan talagang pag-aralan ito dahil kahit na na-suspend siya, nagkaroon ng memorandum of agreement, nangyari na naman,” she said.

As a response to what happened to Villavende, the government banned the deployment of OFWs in Kuwait for the second time.

“This should serve as a clear message to Kuwaiti authorities. The partial ban may ripen into total deployment ban if justice for Jeanelyn Villavende is not met,” Bello warned Kuwait.

The ban exempted skilled workers and Filipinos who are already working in Kuwait.

There are about 262,000 Filipinos living in Kuwait.

The Philippine government is also planning to make a template contract for its workers in Kuwait.

It would protect the Filipino workers from their employers who are going to attempt to confiscate their passports and mobile phones.

The template contract also included the transferring of the workplace without the labor attache’s consent.

A former history professor of De La Salle University opposed the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN and explained why President Rodrigo Duterte would get nothing if the television network closes.

On a lengthy recirculated Facebook post in 2019, prominent historian Van Ybiernas doesn’t believe that President Duterte is opposing the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN because he wanted to take revenge, as his term is already near the end.

He believes that Duterte is not the only politician who doesn’t like ABS-CBN; that’s why the company is having difficulties in pushing their franchise renewal.

According to him, the television network should answer congress why they deserve to get a franchise renewal.

“Hindi naman dahil nandyan na ang ABS-CBN ay dapat automatic i-renew ang prangkisa nila. Hindi naman rubber stamp ng ABS-CBN ang kongreso. So imbes na tanungin kung bakit huwag dapat i-renew ang prangkisa ng ABS-CBN dapat sagutin NILA kung bakit sila dapat i-renew,” Ybiernas said.

“Napaka pathetic actually ng kampanya ng ABS-CBN para marenew ang prangkisa nila: para silang pulitiko na nireremind ang lahat ng “natulungan” nila na iboto sila sa eleksyon.”

“Masyadong trapo mag-isip ang ABS-CBN,”

“Hindi ba dapat ipakita nila kung bakit karapat-dapat i-renew ang prangkisa nila?”

“Tumupad ba sila sa standards ng journalism at media? Ethical ba ang doing business nila,”

The historian also said that the main problem of ABS-CBN is their owners because of their conflict with the government.

“Para sa akin ang pinaka sakit ng ABS-CBN ay yung owners nila, ang pamilya Lopez. Anlaki ng atraso nila sa gobyerno. Lalo na sa mga loans na ni-write-off ng mga government financial institutions. Nireklamo din ng pangulo ang kanilang unfair business practices.”

“Samakatuwid, parusa na sa may-ari ng ABS-CBN ang non-renewal ng kanilang prangkisa kung sakali.”

“Ibenta na lang nila ang infrastructure ng ABS-CBN kay Ramon Ang, halimbawa, at sa tingin ko ay masasalba yung network.”

“Kung ayaw naman nila itinda yan, e di antayin na lang na mawala sa ere ang ABS-CBN bago makapasok ang new player na papalit sa kanila.”

According to Ybiernas, if ever that the ABS-CBN franchise doesn’t get a renewal, it would serve a warning to other television networks to be professional.

“Sana lang ituloy na huwag marenew ang prangkisa ng ABS-CBN.”

“Punishment yan at warning sa iba: ayusin ang kanilang how they do business. Propesyunal lang. In fairness, may mga ulol na personalities sa GMA7 at kahit sa TV5 pero walang halong kung ano ano ang pagpapatakbo ng mga network na yun. Propesyunal lang. Kaya di sila binabanatan bilang kabuuan. Yung ilang personalities lang nila ang tinitira, hindi yung network,”

The franchise of ABS-CBN is set to expire in March 2020, and there are only a few politicians who were pushing for its renewal in congress.

Source: Van Ybiernas

Senator Panfilo Lacson insisted that the Philippines also have the right to fight back after some US Senators pushed the entry-ban against the accusers of Leila De Lima.

On a tweet, Lacson said that the Filipinos are entitled to tell the US Senators pushed for the entry-ban that the Philippines is not an American colony anymore and cannot be controlled by them.

Lacson also said that we also have the right to insult the senators of the US if they try to affront the Philippine government.

“Respect runs both ways, especially between two long-time allies. If some US senators still see our country as their colony, we will tell them in their faces we are not. If they insult us, we will insult them back. We are entitled to our national pride and dignity,” said Lacson.

Respect runs both ways especially between two long time allies. If some US senators still see our country as their colony, we will tell them in their faces we are not. If they insult us, we will insult them back. We are entitled to our national pride and dignity.

— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) January 3, 2020

This is not the first that Lacson criticized some American politicians for pushing the entry ban against De Lima’s accusers.

On December 29, 2019, Lacson criticized Senator Patrick Leahy for asking the Duterte administration to free De Lima instead of implementing new visa rules for Americans who wanted to visit the Philippines.

“NAKAKAPIKON KA NA MR. LEAHY! RESPECT OUR COURTS,” Lacson said.

“My issue is about their arrogance towards another sovereign state’s judicial process. Sen de Lima’s case is merely incidental to that central issue,” Lacson also said.

After it was reported that the entry-ban was already being enforced against De Lima’s accusers, the Duterte government announced that they’re going to ban three Senators from visiting the Philippines.

They’re Senators Patrick Leahy, Richard Durbin, and Edward Markey.

A netizen explained why President Rodrigo Duterte should not be blamed for the possible closure of television network giant ABS-CBN.

Noel Landero Sarifa, on a Facebook post, urged the employees of ABS-CBN to ask their management instead of putting all the blame to President Duterte over what’s happening to their network.

The netizen mentioned several things that he believes should be answered by ABS-CBN if they really wanted to save the company from closing.

Sarifa then posted screenshots of some alleged fake news posted by ABS-CBN to prove his claims.

Here’s what Sarifa wrote:

“Well, the artist and fanatics, should never blame President Duterte on this matter, they need to ask the management as to why they let this happen. Here are some recall of my posts, since way back 2016, these are screenshots and there are links you may refer to(Some already deleted). I do not have any information about the ads that is supposed to be aired by the network but refused to do so, as the President said it was not aired, I believe the President is telling the truth, there is no statement from ABS-CBN denying the claim.

Here are some points ABS-CBN needs to answer.

– How ABS-CBN sensationalize news against Duterte
– No coverage on Duterte’s Rally if there is, they do not show how huge the crowd is ( thanks to cinemotion, netizens for providing us photos and videos) if there is the numbers are roughly way lower than the reality. Duterte has a very minimal air time in the news last 2016 campaign, unlike the other candidates, if it is something bad about Duterte, that’s the time they provide more air time.
– Publishing fake news with no public apology or admission of the fault.
– Allow airing of Children being used against Duterte
– Minimal to almost no news about President Duterte’s Administration Achievement.”

According to Sarifa, the news posted by ABS-CBN raised the eyebrows of the supporters of President Duterte and even himself wanted the network to close for good.

“These cause outrage to Duterte’s supporters, and until now we know how biased the network is. Remember, even anonymous Philippines hacked DZMM website as they can no longer bear all the black propaganda and mudslinging way back 2016?” said Sarifa.

“So if I will be asked? Do they deserve a renewal? NO, why would we let them keep on fooling us? If they cannot provide fair and balanced news and TV programs then its time for them to stop,” he added.

Sarifa then hoped that ABS-CBN should stop using their employees to gain sympathy to the public and the officials of the network should be taking the responsibility for their actions.

The franchise of ABS-CBN is set to expire in March 2020.

11 members of the House of Representatives already made an effort to push the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN but Congress said that the television network should still clear themselves from the accusations of the President.

Laguna Rep. Sol Aragones claimed that 11,000 employees could lose their job if ABS-CBN’s franchise expires.