House cancels SMNI franchise

- Advertisement -

THE House of Representatives yesterday approved on third and final reading the bill seeking to revoke the congressional franchise to operate of the Swara Sug Media Corporation, operating as Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), for various violations, particularly the spreading of fake news and red-tagging of critics of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Voting 284-4 with four abstentions, the House approved House Bill (HB) No. 9710, effectively repealing Republic Act (RA) No. 11422, the law signed in August 2019 that extended for an additional 25 years the franchise granted to Suara Sug under RA 8122.

Parañaque City Rep. Gus Tambunting, chair of the House Committee on Legislative Franchises, the bill’s sponsor, said the revocation bill will still have to be approved by the Senate.

- Advertisement -

HB 9710 was authored by Reps. Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez (PL, 1-Rider), Jude Acidre (PL, Tingog), Yevgeny Vicente Emano of Misamis Oriental, Emerson Pascual of the fourth district of Nueva Ecija, and Eulogio Rodriguez of Catanduanes.

After conducting six hearings over five months since November 2023, the Tambunting panel concluded that SMNI, which is owned by Kingdom of Jesus Christ Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, committed “multiple grave infractions in violation of its franchise grant” and recommended the revocation of the network’s franchise to the plenary.

Both the House and the Senate have issued arrest warrants against Quiboloy whose lawyers have insisted that he no longer owns SMNI.

The Senate is investigating the self-proclaimed “appointed son of god” for alleged human trafficking, labor violations and sex-related offenses, while the House has ordered his arrest for his refusal to attend the chamber’s hearing on the SMNI franchise violations.

The House inquiry stemmed from allegations made by SMNI hosts on the “Laban Kasama ng Bayan” program, claiming that Speaker Romualdez spent P1.8 billion on travel within a year, which was proven to be false by House officials by citing official records showing that the entire chamber incurred P39.6 million in travel expenses from January to October 2023, with the Office of the Speaker disbursing only P4.3 million.

Lawmakers have also slammed SMNI after the former President assailed the House leadership for redirecting P650 million in confidential funds from the office of Vice President Sara Duterte and the Department of Education to government agencies responsible for securing the West Philippine Sea amid China’s persistent harassment.

SMNI is also accused of violating Section 10 of its franchise, which requires it to obtain the permission of Congress before any change in its ownership structure.

In 2020, Swara Sug reported to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that 95 percent of it was owned by KJC.

However, in 2022, lawmakers said Swara Sug transferred 46 percent of its ownership to another entity without obtaining congressional approval.

The network is also said SMNI violated Section 11 requiring dispersal of ownership to Filipinos and Section 12 on the reportorial requirement.

‘DISCHARGED’

At the Senate, Sen. Francis Escudero yesterday said Quiboloy can be “discharged” from the contempt citation of the Committee on Women once he “appears” in the Senate hearing, either in person or virtually.

Escudero also said the Senate can continue to conduct its investigation into Quiboloy’s alleged abuses if a case has already been filed against him before the courts “and that the right against self-incrimination is not an excuse not to attend the hearing, but may be invoked once at any time after a question is posed on a defendant.”

Senate minority leader Aquilino Pimentel III said Quiboloy has a team of “very well known, vigorous, and strong lawyers” who know what to do after the Senate ordered the arrest of the pastor.

Sen. Robin Padilla advised the KOJC leader to elevate and question before the Supreme Court the arrest order and contempt citation, saying his efforts to reverse the committee ruling was unsuccessful.

“Ginawa po ng opisina ko ang lahat ng nasa rules at procedure ng Senate para mapangalagaan ang karapatan ni Pastor Quiboloy. Nagdesisyon na po ang chairman ng komite at inaksyonan na rin po ni SP Zubiri ang pag issue ng warrant of arrest. Ang nakikita ko po na legal na alternatibo para kay Pastor Quiboloy ay idulog po ito sa Supreme Court (My office has done everything under the Senate rules and procedures to protect the rights of Pastor Quiboloy. The committee chairman has decided, and SP Zubiri signed the arrest order. The legal alternative left that I can recommend is for him to bring the matter to the Supreme Court),” Padilla said.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri signed the arrest order against Quiboloy on Tuesday on the request of Senate deputy minority leader Risa Hontiveros, the committee chairperson.

The Hontiveros committee has cited Quiboloy in contempt for his continued snubbing of invitations and a subpoena to attend the hearings.

- Advertisement -spot_img

According to Hontiveros’ office, the arrest warrant was delivered by the Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms to the office of Quiboloy’s legal counsel, lawyer Melanio Elvis Balayan, in Makati City on Tuesday afternoon.

Retired Gen. Roberto Ancan, the Senate sergeant-at-arms, said his office is coordinating with the PNP as Quiboloy can be arrested anytime.

Ancan said the detention room for the KOJC leader in the Senate is ready. Members of the pastor’s legal team and immediate family will be allowed to visit him.

Sen. Ronald dela Rosa offered to be Quiboloy’s personal security officer to convince him to physically attend the Senate hearings.

“Takot siya na under threat ang buhay niya? I can be his security. I can secure him while he’s in the Senate. I can offer myself as his security kung pupunta siya dito, just for him to be physically present in the hearing. Pero kung ayaw niya, the final decision is with him
(He is afraid because his life is under threat? I can be his security. I can secure him while he’s in the Senate. I can offer myself as his security if he goes here, just for him to be physically present in the hearing. But if does not want it, the final decision is with him),” Dela Rosa said in an interview.

But he said he will not ask the Senate to allow him to take custody of Quiboloy.

“I will not go towards that extent… Yung sa akin lang, ‘yung security lang niya kapag nandito siya naghi-hearing(The security I’m offering is only while he is here attending the hearing)…Somebody wants to shoot you? Come, I’m here,” he said. — With Raymond Africa

Author

- Advertisement -

Share post: