Why are they so mad?

“Get mad, then get over it.”

—Colin Powell

By Alex P. Vidal

THE criticism being aggressively unleashed against the embattled ABS-CBN by some people who claim to be “die-hard” supporters of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte increased in the social media immediately after the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) issued a “cease and decease” order against the leading national TV and radio network which was compelled to sign off on May 5, 2020 after their 25-year broadcast franchise expired the previous day.

In others, out of the blue, naki sabay (they joined the fray).

Although they based their attacks against the powerful media company on the latter’s failure to secure a renewal of their franchise and corrosively dismissed the angle on violation of press freedom, their motives and aggressiveness were suspect.

We’ve noticed their bad blood against the ABS-CBN didn’t emanate from any personal experience or spat against the giant network.

In other words, their hatred came from nowhere.

Their saber rattling was an afterthought or based on the stimulus of the president’s rage.

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When President Duterte didn’t yet step up his attack against the ABS-CBN early last year, most of these die hard supporters never thought of lashing at the network.

It’s only when Mr. Duterte used profanity and threatened to block ABS-CBN’s renewal of franchise later last year that the die hard supporters also started lambasting the network that employs 11,000 workers nationwide.

Which means that most of them anchored their hatred toward the ABS-CBN on the mood or reaction of the president, not because they had a previous ax to grind against the network. 

Immediately after it became known that Mr. Duterte was terribly mad at the ABS-CBN, some of these die hard supporters discussed and analyzed the network’s supposed litany of “sins” against the law like they were in the trial court, and personally against Duterte, who had been openly protesting that his campaign ads were not aired during the 2016 elections despite making an advance payment.

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The ABS-CBN critics invoked the argument used by Solicitor General Jose Calida—and which most of us already know—that broadcasting networks require a congressional franchise to operate television and radio stations under Philippine law. 

Operating since the mid-1960s, ABS-CBN had last been granted a 25-year franchise extension on March 30, 1995 by virtue of Republic Act No. 7966 (March 30, 1995). 

The franchise expired on May 4, 2020 as upheld by the Department of Justice (DoJ).

The question is, what if President Duterte did not declare an Armageddon against the ABS-CBN?

What if, instead of threatening to block the station’s renewal of franchise, the president extended an olive branch and heaped praises for the largest entertainment and media conglomerate in the country in terms of revenue, operating income, net income, assets, equity, market capitalization, and number of employees for its catchy “In the service of the Pilipino” slogan?

Would those die hard supporters, most of whom have been tagged as “fanatics” and motivated by a canine loyalty to the hard-hitting leader from Davao City, also parrot the same soliloquy?

Your answer is as good as mine.

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I am developing a story that a financial group based in the state of Georgia, which has been facing several lawsuits for allegedly running a pyramid scam, allegedly continues to operate and is “actively” recruiting a lot of gullible Filipino immigrants in San Francisco, California and other parts of the United States.

“The operators of this scam are using the social media to recruit and promise their potential victims a financial windfall and other emoluments,” said a source who refused to be named.

“The sad part is that they are exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic to lure investors, especially those who have the capacity to invest and those who have received a stimulus from the federal government.”

We will know if these allegations are true.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo)