Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 6) — The House Committee on Legislative Franchises has approved the resolution urging the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to suspend the operations of Sonshine Media Network Inc. (SMNI) for allegedly violating the terms and conditions of its franchise.
“We voted on that yesterday, there was no objection,” Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Ty Pimentel told CNN Philippines’ The Source on Wednesday.
House Resolution no. 1499 urges the NTC to suspend the operations of Swara Sug Media Corporation operating under the business name SMNI to cover its alleged franchise violations.
Pwersa ng Bayanihang Atleta (PBA) partylist Rep. Margarita Nograles, author of the resolution, said pending the recommendation of the legislative franchises panel, it is the NTC’s duty “to immediately stop the deliberate dissemination of false information that may generate cynicism and mistrust on matters involving public interest.”
She cited a recent issue when SMNI host Jeffrey Celiz said Speaker Martin Romualdez spent ₱1.8 billion for his foreign trips. Celiz later admitted that his allegation was false after House Secretary General Reginald Velasco clarified that Romualdez only had a ₱4.3-million travel budget from January to October 2023.
“It is clear that SMNI violated its responsibility to the public not to use its stations or facilities for the deliberate dissemination of false information or willful misrepresentation to the detriment of the public interest,” Nograles said.
The lawmaker said during the hearing that this was not an attack on the freedom of the press, it was only way to defend the right of the people to have true information
