No conflict of interest in my ABS-CBN franchise vote –Vilma Santos

House Deputy Speaker and Batangas 6th District Representative Vilma Santos-Recto on Monday said she saw no conflict of interest over her vote favoring the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN Corporation.

Santos-Recto pointed out that she and her son, actor and host Luis Manzano, were not stockholders of ABS-CBN and that she had no existing contract with the company.

“I'm not part of the management or the operation of the company,” she said in on ANC. “Same thing with my son. Si Luis naman is already an adult. Mayroon na siyang desisyon para sa sarili niya and at the same time, he’s just a talent. Kaming dalawa naman ng anak ko, hindi naman kami stockholders ng kompanya so wala akong nakikita na conflict of interest doon kaya ako bumoto.”

Earlier, Quezon City Representative and actor Alfred Vargas and Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda, a former journalist at ABS-CBN, inhibited themselves from the vote on the media giant’s franchise renewal application citing conflicts of interest. /

However, Santos-Recto, herself an actress, was one of the 11 solons who voted to approve the franchise renewal application of ABS-CBN.

Santos-Recto also noted that Laguna Representative and former ABS-CBN reporter Sol Aragones also voted in favor of the network's franchise renewal.

“As an ex-officio ay karapatan ko na bumoto,” Santos-Recto said.

The House Committee on Legislative Franchises on Friday voted to deny ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal application.

The panel adopted the Technical Working Group’s (TWG) Committee Resolution recommending the denial of the network's franchise application through 70 yes votes, 11 no votes, and three who did not participate. — DVM, GMA News