MANILA, Philippines — If President Duterte would really “see to it” as what he claimed regarding the franchise of ABS-CBN, thousands stand to lose their jobs from the network in the first quarter of 2020.

With his paid political advertisement back in 2016 snubbed and unpublished still very much in mind until this very moment, President Rodrigo Duterte reiterated Tuesday “he will see to it” renewal of the Kapamilya network’s franchise will not be approved.

The President’s alarming statement was made Tuesday (03 December 2019) as the Chief Executive lambasted what he calls as onerous and “sweetheart” contract made by Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System with water concessionaires—Manila Water Co. Inc. and Maynilad Water Services Inc.

Here is a part of President Duterte’s message that made mention about ABS-CBN: “Your franchise will end next year. If you are expecting that it will be renewed, I’m sorry. You’re out. I will see to it that you’re out.”

Before they can freely operate, television and radio stations in the Philippines are required to obtain a franchise from Congress.

This was not first time the President made mention about his unforgotten disappointment with ABS-CBN whose 25-year franchise expires on the first quarter of 2020 particularly March 30, 2020.

It may be recalled the President has time and again threatened not to renew ABS-CBN’s franchise because he said “the network failed or refused to air to air his own propaganda” even as he claimed it has already been paid in advance.

“There were several of us candidates from whom you took money but never aired our propaganda. Me, Chiz Escudero, all of us,” the President was quoted as saying then in Malacañang during the oath-taking of the executive committee of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines.

And to add insult to injury, the network allegedly aired an former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV whose infomercial portrayed children that is allegedly in violation of the election law.

Decidedly one of his sharpest critics, Trillanes was then running for Vice President whose ad “showed children reacting negatively to video clips of Duterte cursing Pope Francis and his joke about the gang rape and murder of an Australian missionary during a prison riot in Davao City in 1989.”

Back in 2017, the President also accused the network of being unfair in reporting about him, including his brutal war on drugs. (IAMIGO/CNS)