Statement by Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon

"I was defending freedom of the press, not the Lopezes. The closure of the ABS-CBN sent a chilling effect.

As I said before, for democracy to thrive we need free press and we should allow journalists to exercise complete freedom to do their mandate of reporting facts without fear.

In the face of a pandemic, we need more access to information. I aired my support for the renewal of the franchise of ABS-CBN, because undeniably the network complements other stations in providing timely and accurate reportage even in the farthest locality unreachable to others, even to the government.

I was defending the 11,000 people and their families who would lose jobs amid the pandemic, not the Lopezes."