Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 21) — The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has suspended the broadcast operations of Swara Sug Media Corporation, also known as Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), for 30 days for alleged violations of its franchise.
The NTC announced on Thursday that it issued on Dec. 19 a show cause order against the media network, with a 30-day suspension of its radio and television stations.
It gave SMNI 15 days from receipt of the order to explain why the company should not be administratively sanctioned.
The NTC’s move was in response to a House resolution, which urged it to act on SMNI’s actions after the latter was involved in red-tagging and airing false information that House Speaker Martin Romualdez used ₱1.8 billion for his travels this year.
The measure, filed by Pwersa ng Bayanihang Atleta (PBA) party-list Rep. Margarita Nograles, was adopted by the lower chamber earlier this month.
It said SMNI has violated at least three provisions of Republic Act No. 11422, which was signed in August 2019 and which granted the network the legislative franchise to operate for 25 more years.
This week, two of SMNI’s shows were preventively suspended for 14 days following its host Jeffrey Celiz airing the claim on Romualdez’ travel funds and death threats uttered by former President Rodrigo Duterte.
The NTC said it will hold an administrative hearing on issues surrounding the company on Jan. 4.
Attack on press freedom?
Meanwhile, Senator Imee Marcos came to SMNI’s defense, as she criticized the NTC for supposedly sending a “chilling effect” to the press by issuing the order.
“It is incumbent upon the NTC to be very judicious in suspending entire operations of media entities, as such actions will have a chilling effect on press freedom. There is nothing prudent in NTC’s action today,” she said in a statement.
The senator also accused the commission of denying SMNI’s right to due process.
“Why must we shut down all those who do not agree with us, not even allowing the chance to explain first? How could the NTC issue a show-cause order but simultaneously hand down a 30-day suspension?” Marcos said.
“Are we afraid that SMNI may be right? Are we afraid of the truth?” she added.
The House Committee on Legislative Franchises recently held hearings on the SMNI report on Romualdez’s travel fund. Representatives of the media network were invited to explain, including its legal counsels and SMNI hosts Celiz and Lorraine Badoy.
Badoy earlier said she believes the congressional inquiry was a move to silence the press.
During the Dec. 5 hearing, she and Celiz were cited in contempt and ordered detained at the House for refusing to answer lawmakers’ questions. The House panel released the two hosts after a week, a move welcomed by Vice President Sara Duterte.
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), meanwhile, said that despite its issues with SMNI’s red-tagging of some media workers, it is notable how the NTC order is “reminiscent of the previous administration’s attempts to weaponize the law and muzzle media.”
The group said while journalists have the right to “feel vindicated” by the development, such a move has also been used against news outlets that have been critical of the government.
Still, the union reiterated that the red-tagging “that SMNI allows on its programs does harm.”
“Even as SMNI and its supporters cry press freedom and freedom of expression now, may they also reflect on how they cheered on and abetted similar moves when these tactics were being used against journalists and newsrooms,” it said.
