ABS-CBN says sorry to Ang Kapatiran for Chipeco snub

ABS-CBN on Wednesday apologized to Ang Kapatiran Party for failing to invite its vice presidential bet Dominador Chipeco in the network’s HARAPAN vice presidential debate last March. In a letter signed by ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs Division head Maria Ressa, the network said it did not intend to exclude Chipeco from the show. “Rest assured it was not our intent to overlook Ang Kapatiran. We are planning to invite you to other episodes of HARAPAN as well as provide other venues for your message to reach the public," the letter read. “We assure Ang Kapatiran of our commitment to provide all political parties fair time and space during the election period," it added. Chipeco, in a statement sent by the AKP, accepted the apology. "Excellence and fairness are great virtues, forgiveness is no less. I forgive ABS-CBN." AKP President Eric Manalang added that the party would lift "its non-collaboration stance and resumes coordination with the network." The apology was issued three days after the party lodged a formal complaint with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) against ABS-CBN for allegedly violating the Fair Elections Act. The Fair Elections Act or the Republic Act 9006 mandates that all election candidates are given fair treatment. Ang Kapatiran Party media officer Rica Manalang had earlier lamented that oftentimes, “we have to invite ourselves" before the network would allow their candidates to join forums. Chipeco, party standard bearer JC de los Reyes, and its seven senatorial candidates are not faring well in various preference surveys. - KBK, GMANews.TV