President Rodrigo Duterte dove straight into attacking his critics within the first 10 minutes of his fifth State of the Nation Address, hitting Senator Franklin Drilon and the Lopez-owned ABS-CBN.
“It is sad that while the government battles the coronavirus, there are those who take advantage of a preoccupied government. One of them is Senator Franklin Drilon,” the President said.
Duterte said Drilon “arrogantly” mentioned that oligarchs need not be rich and “linked” the anti-political dynasty advocacy to the oligarchy issue, mentioning in particular the President's daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, and his son, Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte.
The President said Drilon was “obviously defending the Lopezes” since he made such a remark after a House committee junked the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN.
“I am a casualty of the Lopezes in the 2016 elections…Media is a powerful tool in the hands of the oligarchs like the Lopezes who use it for their battles with political figures,” the President added.