ABS-CBN to donate Duterte unaired ad refund to charity

ABS-CBN president and CEO Carlo Katigbak on Monday apologized to President Rodrigo Duterte over a 2016 election advertisement that showed the latter cursing and several children asking if his actions were right. ABS-CBN NEWS/PCOO
ABS-CBN president and CEO Carlo Katigbak on Monday apologized to President Rodrigo Duterte over a 2016 election advertisement that showed the latter cursing and several children asking if his actions were right. ABS-CBN NEWS/PCOO

MANILA – ABS-CBN will be donating the P2.6-million refund that the network was supposed to pay to President Rodrigo Duterte for unaired political advertisements during the 2016 elections.

This after Duterte told the broadcast giant on Wednesday to just give his refund to any charitable institutions.

Huwag na. Ibigay na lang nila sa any charitable institution of their choice,” the Chief Executive said.

ABS-CBN President and CEO Carlo Katigbak said during a Senate panel inquiry the network has failed to air about P7-million in local ads ordered by then presidential candidate Duterte.

Katigbak explained that all of Duterte’s national political ads in the 2016 were aired but some of his local ads worth P7 million could not be accommodated due to a “first-come, first served policy.”

He also said then that around P4 million was refunded and accepted by the Duterte camp, but that the network was “delayed” in giving back the remaining P2.6 million in ad money and the amount “was no longer accepted by the President.”

Meanwhile, President Duterte said that, while he accepts the apology of Katigbak, the fate of the network’s franchise would still depend on Congress. He previously threatened to block the renewal of ABS-CBN’s license to operate which expires in May.

“But fundamentally, really, ang decision nasa House ngayon, not so much of the Senate because the Constitution says all of these things must originate from the Lower House,” he said.

“The critical move is in the House and I tell you, I am not going to interfere. Wala talaga ako,” he added.

House of Representatives Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano has said that the ABS-CBN franchise renewal bills are not urgent and may be taken up in May when Congress resumes session after the summer break./ PN

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