Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan slammed Net25 over what he called an “unprofessional and insulting” attack against his wife, actress Sharon Cuneta, during a broadcast of the program “Sa Ganang Mamamayan,” where Senator Dante Marcoleta was a guest.
“Tama ba na sa pagbatikos sa akin ng inyong mga anchors na sina Nelson Lubao at Gen Subardiaga…ay dinawit ninyo ang aking maybahay na si Sharon na wala namang kinalaman sa usapin ng kurakot sa flood control? (Is it right that your anchors Nelson Lubao and Gen Subardiaga criticized me…and implicated my wife Sharon, who had nothing to do with the issue of corruption in flood control?)” Pangilinan asked.
The senator said Cuneta, who has remained silent on political controversies, was unfairly dragged into the discussion and mocked on air.
“Binastos ng programang ito si Sharon at sinaktan ninyo ang kanyang kalooban kahit na nananahimik siya at walang kinalaman sa isyu ng korupsyon. Ito ba ay upang mapag-usapan at dumami ang inyong viewership? (This program insulted Sharon and you hurt her feelings even though she is silent and has nothing to do with the corruption issue. Is this to create discussion and increase your viewership?)” he added.
Pangilinan blasted the network for allowing its anchors to make Sharon’s character a laughing stock in public (“gawing katawa-tawa ang kanyang pagkatao sa publiko”).
“Ano ba ang ginawa ni Sharon sa inyong istasyon at sa mga anchorpersons, at binastos ninyo ang kanyang pagkatao? Hindi ganito ang mga propesyonal na mga broadcaster (What did Sharon do to your station and the anchorpersons, and you insulted her character? Professional broadcasters are not like this),” he said.
The senator demanded accountability, saying Cuneta deserves a formal apology.
“Your anchors disrespected Sharon, insulted her, and wounded her feelings by dragging her into this issue. She deserves a public apology from Net25 and your anchorpersons. Huwag ninyong idinadawit ang mga inosente at binabastos lalo na ang mga asawa ng mga Senador na wala naman kinalaman sa mga usapin sa Senado (Don’t implicate the innocent and insult them, especially the wives of senators who have nothing to do with Senate matters),” he said.
The show zeroed in on the supposed proposal of Pangilinan to create an independent body to investigate alleged corruption in flood-control projects—an inquiry already being handled by Marcoleta’s Blue Ribbon Committee.
But the premise of the entire show was false, as it was Senate Minority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto who made the proposal, and Pangilinan merely expressed support for it.