Why do you think the situation of the employees of ABS-CBN no longer mattered even if there’s a raging pandemic? Were political lines drawn just like in elections?
Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan response:
“It is the primordial duty of any representative government to protect the welfare of its citizens. As such, by failing to protect the welfare of 11,000 workers and rendering them jobless this government has failed to fulfill its primary function.
Yes, political lines were drawn as between self-serving, reckless, and tyrannical politics represented by the mindless decision to close the station and render 11,000 jobless and the politics of genuine service, democracy, and good governance represented by those defending media freedom and supportive of the grant of the franchise.
Why? Because as history of mankind spanning thousands of years will show us that for tyrants, holding on to and exercising uncontested, absolute power is far more important than the welfare of the people.”
“Ang pangunahing tungkulin ng anumang representative government ay protektahan ang kapakanan ng mga mamamayan nito. Kaya sa pagbabalewala sa kapakanan ng 11,000 manggagawa at pag-alis ng kanilang trabaho, bigo ang gobyerno sa kanyang pangunahing tungkulin.
Oo, naging malinaw ang dalawang klase ng pulitika. Ang pulitika na makasarili, padalos-dalos, at malupit na siyang nagpasya na ipasara ang istasyon at alisan ng trabaho ang 11,000. Sa kabilang banda, ang pulitika ng tunay na serbisyo, demokrasya, at maayos na pamamahala na kinatawan ng nagtatanggol sa malayang pamamahayag at sumusuporta sa pagbigay ng prangkisa.
Bakit? Dahil ipinapakita ng libo-libong taon ng kasaysayan ng sangkatauhan na para sa mga mapaniil, ang kapit sa ganap na kapangyarihan ay mas mahalaga kaysa sa kapakanan ng taumbayan.”