Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque on Wednesday claimed that he was also an ABS-CBN supporter after he earned ire from netizens for urging the public to “move on” from the media giant’s franchise rejection that put 11,000 jobs at risk and spawned allegations of an attack on press freedom.
Roque was once a regular on a DZMM radio program and got his first media exposure from news channel ANC.
“I did say ‘move on’ but I did say also that I feel for ABS-CBN because I’m one of you. I’m Kapamilya,” he said in an ANC interview.
“I owe who I am to ABS-CBN. It pains me that you don’t have a franchise. I will not be the ‘Pambansang Laway’ now if not because of ABS-CBN and I thank ABS-CBN,” he added.
A House committee voted 70-11 on Friday denying a fresh license for ABS-CBN, permanently closing its free television and radio services that regulators shut down in May.
Duterte had said in a speech last December that he would see to it that the network is “out” and from early in his term had accused it of failing to air his 2016 election ads.
Malacañang continues to maintain the President is “neutral” on the ABS-CBN franchise issue.
