ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Eric Yap revealed Wednesday (May 27) he has a personal reason for wanting ABS-CBN investigated for alleged violations of its franchise: the network’s report on presidential son and Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte.
In an interview over ANC’s “Headstart,” Yap recalled the congressional hearings in 2017 where former Bureau of Customs broker Mark Taguba linked Duterte to the “Davao Group” allegedly involved in smuggling.
Taguba eventually cleared Duterte of any wrongdoing, saying his information about the presidential son’s alleged ties with the “Davao Group” was only based on hearsay.
Yap, however, claimed ABS-CBN never followed up on Taguba’s claims to clear Duterte’s name.
“May kaibigan ako na na-allege na drug lord siya sa hearing, nilabas ng ABS-CBN News. Sabihin ko na ang pangalan, si Paolo Duterte. Sinabi raw drug lord. And then yung tao sa hearing, yung Mark Taguba, sinabi niya na hindi niya raw na-meet si Paolo Duterte, wala nang bumawi doon, wala nang nagsabi sa news na hindi pala siya kasama dito,” he said.
Yap, who’s close to Duterte, said the absence of reports clearing the presidential son’s name left the impression he was involved in illegal activities.
“So ang nangyari ang naiwan sa utak ng tao na ‘Ah, ito drug lord ito.’ Pero ang totoo, kumbaga hindi naman siya kilala ng tao,” he said.
Asked if ABS-CBN’s absence of follow up reports on Duterte was the reason why the presidential son sought a probe on the network’s “probable” franchise violations, Yap said: “Siya hindi, ako, yun ang dahilan. Kasi yung tao kaibigan ko.”
“’Yun lang yung sa akin, yung personal reason ko. Pero yung sa kanya, never ko siyang tinanong,” he added.
Duterte and Yap, together with Cavite Rep. Abraham Tolentino, filed House Resolution 853 to investigate ABS-CBN over alleged violations of its franchise.
The resolution is part of the agenda of the joint House committees currently hearing ABS-CBN’s franchise application.
