A HOST of Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) was ordered detained at the Batasang Pambansa yesterday for refusing to reveal to lawmakers the source of his claim that Speaker Martin Romualdez supposedly spent P1.8 billion in travel expenses in just a year.
The House Committee on Legislative Franchises cited SMNI host Jeffrey “Ka Eric” Celis in contempt after he adamantly refused to name his supposed source who had fed him the wrong information, which he discussed on SMNI’s “Laban Kasama ng Bayan” program.
It was in the same network that former president Rodrigo Duterte lambasted the House leadership for stripping his daughter Vice President Sara Duterte of confidential funds under the proposed P5.768 trillion national budget for 2024.
Celis said he was refusing to divulge his source not as a disrespect to the committee but because he was invoking his right “as guaranteed by the Constitution.”
“I believe this committee cannot be above the law, especially the Constitution,” Celis told the panel, obviously offending lawmakers led by Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel who moved that he be cited in contempt.
“Four times, he refused to reply (who his source was). The honorable (Navotas City Rep. Toby) Tiangco even afforded him an executive session and again he refused. So obviously, he will refuse to answer any question,” said panel chair Parañaque City Rep. Gustavo Tambunting.
House Secretary General Reginald Velasco last week told the same panel that the travel expenses incurred by the Speaker, other lawmakers, and House officials from January 2023 to October 2023 only amounted to P39.6 million.
When Tiangco proposed that the panel just hold an executive session to convince Celis to reveal his source, the SMNI host still refused, saying doing so would be “very dangerous” for other media practitioners because it will create a “very dangerous and negative precedent” on the protection of sources as provided by law.
Republic Act No. 11458 or the Sotto Law protects journalists from being compelled to name their news sources.
Pimentel called SMNI a “serial harasser” and an “irresponsible network,” citing the possible violations of SMNI’s legislative franchise under Republic Act (RA) 11422, specifically referencing Section 4 on responsibilities to the public, which could serve as grounds for revoking the network’s franchise.
“It seems that SMNI has a pattern of harassing individuals and entities using false information. I sincerely believe that SMNI is being used as a tool to spread false information with regards to attacking, maligning, destroying the reputation of certain individuals and entities,” Pimentel said.
Pimentel cited several cases faced by SMNI, not only in the courts but also in organizations like the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas, the Movie Television Review and Classification Board, and the National Telecommunications Commission.
He cited complaints filed against the network by the families of missing University of the Philippines students Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan, and a case involving broadcaster Atom Araullo, whom the network accused of having ties to communist groups.
Pimentel also noted SMNI’s alleged violation of the 2007 Broadcaster Code of the Philippines, specifically regarding the credibility of news sources and reports.
Likewise discussed was the accusation of SMNI anchor Lorraine Badoy against former Vice President Leni Robredo that she is allegedly allied with communist groups.
Badoy said she made the claim as part of her official duty then as the strategic communications cluster head of National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) under the Duterte administration, which prompted the committee to order her to submit supporting documents from the NTF-ELCAC to verify the government’s stand on the matter.
Like Celiz, the panel also cited Badoy in contempt and ordered her detained until the committee comes up with a report and it is adopted by the plenary.
The SMNI talent, who, like Celiz, is paid P100,000 a month, earned the ire of lawmakers for refusing to directly answer questions and for allegedly lying to the panel.
Celis and Badoy are expected to spend Christmas and New Year at the Batasang Pambansa because their detention will last until the committee report is adopted by the plenary, which is expected to happen next year.
The House will be on Holiday break from December 16 and will resume session on January 21, 2024.
As he was being escorted out after the hearing, Celiz called the committee a “kangaroo court.”
