LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Benguet caretaker congressman and Anti-Crime and Terrorism through Community Involvement and Support (ACT-CIS) Party-list Rep. Eric Go Yap disclosed there is no doubt on the service and the people that were served by ABS-CBN Broadcasting corporation over the past several decades.
However, Yap, who chairs the House committee on appropriations, pointed out that there is also no doubt to the truth that the company used its legislative franchise to earn income.
The lawmaker also raised the issue on the alleged conflict of interest of ABS-CBN’s Chairman Emeritus Eugenio Gabby Lopez III who was proven by the House committee on legislative franchises to be a dual citizen, especially that he leads one of the most powerful media company in the country.
Further, he also questioned the claim of the corporation advocating for the best interest of the Filipino people when its chairman is also an American citizen, thus, he can serve two masters of his choice that rush counter to the same.
Yap expressed disappointment over the fact that Chairman Lopez failed to renounce his American citizenship so that he will be able to wholeheartedly serve the greater interest of the Filipino people as chairman of the biggest mass media network in the country.
“You find it convenient to have dual citizenship that is why you were not brave enough to renounce your American citizenship,” Congressman Yap stressed.
He used as an example the alleged actuations of Chairman Lopez of allegedly using his US visa in his travels to Europe because of the power of the US visa where European countries will no longer look for his visa in his visits to the said countries.
On the other hand, he stated that the ABS-CBN Chairman allegedly uses his Philippine visa for his travels in Southeast Asia because countries in the said region will no longer look for his visa as the same are said to be visa-free countries for Filipinos.
‘If you are a true Filipino, you will act, behave and think as a Filipino. Hindi yung Pilipino ka lang kung convenient ito para sa iyo kagaya ng pagmamay-ari ng ABS-CBN. Mahal mo kamo ang Pilipinas, pero bakit yung pagiging Amerikano mo ay hindi mo kayang isakripisyo,” he added.
According to him, it will not be possible for Chairman Lopez to be occupying an influential position with a doubtful interest because what Filipinos need are those who will be able to fully pledge their allegiance to the country that they ought to serve and protect.
Yap asserted that what is important at this point is that it should be the best interest of the country that will prevail and not the interest of other countries that people seek to serve.
He emphasized that like being a lawmaker in Congress, it will be unethical for them to allow their personal interests to prevail over their role as legislators of the country.
The Benguet caretaker congressman urged his colleagues to deice the fate of ABS-CBN based on the interest of the greater majority of the Filipinos and the country as a whole, thus, he decided not to run under ACT-CIS party-list in the next elections to show to the Filipino people that he will not be influenced in making decisions on issues confronting the country in the coming months.
“Mahal natin ang pagsisilbi pero mas kailangang manaig ang katotohanan. Walang takot tayong magsasalita at magtatanong na hindi iniintindi ang buewlta o ganti ng ibang tao, ABS-CBN man o anumang grupo,” Yap exclaimed.
By Hent
You might also like:
