Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate. 黑料社 file photo / Noy Morcoso
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� After Malaca帽ang defended PTV-4鈥檚 airing of President Rodrigo Duterte with his Partido Demokratiko Pilipino 鈥� Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) partymates as a 鈥渘ewsworthy鈥� event, party-list group Bayan Muna lashed back saying PTV-4 is not the 鈥減rivate network of Malaca帽ang or of just one party.鈥�
鈥淲ould PTV-4 now also air party meetings of other high officials?鈥� asked House Deputy Minority leader and Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate in a statement on Sunday.
鈥淣agpapalusot na lang ang Malakanyang dahil napulaan ang kanilang paggamit ng rekurso ng mamamayan para sa pagtakbo sa susunod na eleksyon ng kanilang mga kandidato. Ang PTV 4 ay hindi pribadong network ng Malaca帽ang o ng isang partido,鈥� added the solon.
(Malaca帽ang is just making an excuse because it is using people鈥檚 resources for the election campaign of their candidates. PTV-4 is not a private network of Malaca帽ang or of just one party.)
During the two-hour PDP-Laban meeting, which was aired on Wednesday afternoon, Duterte once again floated the possibility of his running for vice president in the 2022 elections.
Meanwhile, PTV-4 also aired the People鈥檚 Reform Party鈥檚 (PRP) endorsement of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio鈥檚 possible bid in the 2022 presidential elections.
According to presidential spokesman Harry Roque, the airing of the two-hour PDP-Laban meeting and PRP鈥檚 press briefing were justified as both were 鈥渘ewsworthy鈥� events.
鈥淚f one is to follow the logic being used by Harry Roque, then why is it that Vice President Leni Robredo鈥檚 meeting with the Liberal Party or Senate President Tito Sotto鈥檚 meetings with the Nationalist People鈥檚 Coalition or other high officials are not aired live by PTV4?鈥� Zarate further asked.
鈥淚tigil na po nila ang paggamit sa rekurso ng聽 mamamayan para sa kanilang pansariling political agenda sa 2022 elections. Ganyan pa talaga ang ginagawa nila sa pondo at rekurso ng bayan habang kinakapos pa rin sa mass testing, bakuna at ayuda?鈥� he added.
(They must stop using the people鈥檚 resources for their own political agenda in the 2022 elections. Is this the way they are spending the country鈥檚 funds and resources while the country still needs mass testing, vaccines and aid)
Earlier, Zarate called the PTV-4 live coverage of the PDP-Laban meeting 鈥渁n unabashed display of impunity,鈥� describing the live coverage as a 鈥渃learly partisan political activity.鈥�
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