A Filipino writer called out veteran singer Jimmy Bondoc in an open letter following his rants against the artists of ABS-CBN and the network itself.
Bondoc also shared a video to defend himself after receiving criticisms for his opinions online.
He previously engaged in a word war with Angel Locsin after he expressed his excitement that a big TV network will finally close down. He was referring to the possibility ABS-CBN will not get its franchise renewed by 2020.
In 2018, Duterte threatened ABS-CBN with the non-renewal of its franchise by the time it expires due to allegations that it did not air his paid advertisement during the 2016 campaign.
Open letter
Lolito Go, journalist for a provincial paper, wrote how Bondoc has no right to make accusations against ABS-CBN given his own political leanings.
Go addressed each one of Bondoc’s assumptions in the letter he shared on May 23.
- “ABS-CBN is a snake pit.”
Go said Bondoc, himself, is a “snake” who works for Malacañang, a place filled with “snakes” or “traitors” who betray the public’s trust.
“Ipasara na rin ba natin ang Malacañang? Do I need to enumerate kung sino ang mga bumalimbing dyan for the sake of political convenience?” Go said.
“You yourself is a snake. The fact that you support a regime of traitors makes you a traitor as well,” he added.
- “Success inside ABS is based on politics and sexual favors.”
Being appointed in the government is also based on favors, Go pointed out, and this is what Bondoc and other personalities did to acquire a position.
“Kaya nga hindi na basehan ang competency at honesty eh. People are being appointed according to their willingness to become a “yes man” and sing praises to your egocentric lord,” he said.
- “They have contests where the winners have been pre-determined, or are manipulated to suit the whims of the hidden bosses.”
Go said that some “contests” are indeed vulnerable to entertainment politics. However, it’s also wrong to generalize that all the winners in such events are manipulated.
“This is also true with other networks. Irevoke na rin nating ang NTC licenses nila?” he said.
- “Their news is for sale, highest bidder gets the slant.”
Go recalled the name of a public relations practitioner who helped Duterte’s social media propaganda during the national elections in 2016.
Despite the many issues the network faced, he added that it still contributed much to the best interests of the Filipinos unlike Duterte’s online machinery before.
“Pero kahit pagsama-samahin mo ang mga imperfections ng ABS, it is nothing compared to what it gives to Filipino people. At walang anumang dahilan, kahit gaano kabigat, para ipanalangin mo ang kamatayan ng isang institusyon na naging simbolo na ng pagbangon mula sa abo ng Martial Law,” he said.
- “You have countless victims, from sexual harassment to plain and simple bullying.”
Go also agreed that there are sexual predators lurking in ABS-CBN, but these people are everywhere as well.
“Blame it on the culture of impunity, blame it on the culture of victim-blaming. Mas malalim na sipat ang kailangan natin dito at hindi selective justice at myopic singling-out-on-the-enemy tactics ng mga sipsip na katulad ni Jimmy boy,” he said.
Bondoc’s confusing opinions
Bondoc recorded a video to air his side. It was shared by Facebook page MindaVote on the same day.
The assumptions or claims earlier mentioned were shared on Bondoc’s account on May 22.
Bondoc reiterated these opinions in the video while emphasizing that these are based on his own experiences in the industry.
He also claimed that employees of the network might be given “unwarranted benefits” and they will not lose their jobs once the company shuts down.
Locsin was having none of it and clapped back using part of Bondoc’s iconic song “Let Me Be the One.”
“Let me be the one to break this news to you so you don’t have to make excuses. The network might not be perfect but for you to be happy about thousands of people losing their jobs is pure evil,” she tweeted.
Bondoc responded saying that Locsin misunderstood him.
“When a network (any network) closes, it can mean a change of management or ownership,” he said.
Regardless, thousands of Filipinos will still lose their jobs, Locsin tweeted, and his ranting on social media will not solve anything.
It was her last statement on the topic.