By Prince Golez

President Rodrigo Duterte has no hand in the shutdown of broadcast giant ABS-CBN Corp.

Speaking before government troops in Jolo, Sulu Monday, Duterte denied allegations of a foreign human rights defender that he was behind the TV network’s closure.

“Itong may isa pang ano human right na regional, puti. Sabi niya ako raw ang nagpasara sa ABS-CBN. P*t*n* i*a, malay ko? Nagpasara niyan, Congress. A*s*o*e talaga ang gago. Ganun yung puti,” the President said.

In the unaired portion of his July 13 speech, Duterte also claimed that ABS-CBN’s equipment were tax-free and that the Lopez-owned network has “holding companies” abroad.

“Alam mo, itong pangyayari ng ABS, sabihin niyo sa mga anak ninyo, tax-free ‘yan. All equipment ng ABS-CBN, tax-free pumasok. Tapos ang titulo nila, 44 hectares. 44 square meters, Maria Ignacia, it’s supposed to be 44,000 square meters. Yung mga lokohan na,” he said.

“Tapos may mga holding company sa labas. Ganun din. Ano ‘yung, ano ‘yung inano nila ni Marcos. Sila rin. Cayman, tapos may holding company sa Hungary, dun nila binubuhos. Kunwari, may ano sila, may investment sila dun. Padala sila ng pera. Pero yung investment na yan, wala na. Yung pera hindi na yan babalik. Kaya walang taxes.”