PHILIPPINE network giant ABS-CBN said it was ‘grateful and humbled’ by President Rodrigo Duterte’s acceptance of its apology over an ad campaign during the 2016 election campaign.
“We are grateful and humbled by President Rodrigo Duterte’s acceptance of our apology,” the network said in a statement on Thursday, February 27.
“ABS-CBN remains committed to becoming a better organization and to continue to provide more meaningful service to Filipinos,” it added.
ABS-CBN president and CEO Carlo Katigbak on Monday, February 24 apologized to the Philippine president for airing former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV’s political ad that featured clips of Duterte using foul language and making offensive gestures.
He also explained that ABS-CBN failed to air around P7 million worth of Duterte’s local ads because of an airtime limit. The network managed to return P4 million while the remaining P2.6 million was delayed and rejected by Duterte’s camp.
Duterte on Wednesday accepted the apology, adding that ABS-CBN should donate the remaining P2.6 million to charity.
“We will coordinate with the president’s office as it relates to his guidance on donating the refund to a charitable institution,” ABS-CBN said.
Sara Duterte backs ABS-CBN franchise bid
Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio, spurred by her father’s apology acceptance, expressed her support for ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal.
“Davao City fully supports ABS-CBN sa kanilang pagpapa-renew ng kanilang franchise (in their bid to renew its franchise). Of course malaki din ang suporta ng ABS-CBN sa Davao City at sa buong bansa (ABS-CBN extends huge support to Davao City and the whole country),” said Sara Duterte in a chance interview with reporters in Sulu.
“Hopefully ma-resolve in a very positive way ang issue ng franchise ng ABS-CBN (Hopefully ABS-CBN’s franchise issue gets resolved in a very positive way),” she added.
The mayor also noted that Duterte accepted ABS-CBN’s apology because of his empathy.
“Of course, alam niyo si President Duterte, maawain ‘yan na tao. Iniisip din niya ‘yung trabaho ng maraming employees ng ABS-CBN (You know President Duterte is emphatic. He is thinking of the jobs of ABS-CBN’s many employees),” she said.
