The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has suspended the broadcast operations of Swara Sug Media Corporation, also known as the Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) for 30 days.
The NTC said it directive was initiated in response to a House resolution filed by PBA Partylist Rep. Migs Nograles over the network’s violations of its franchise’s terms and conditions.
Earlier, two of its programs, “Gikan ng Masa” hosted by former President Rodrigo Duterte and “Laban Kasama ng Bayan” led by Lorraine Badoy-Partosa and Jeffrey “Ka Eric” Celiz were handed a 14-day suspension by the Movie and Television Review and Classification.
The NTC said Thursday, Dec. 21, that it issued on Dec. 19 a show cause order against SMNI.
It gave the network 15 days from receipt of the order to explain why the company should not be administratively sanctioned.
‘SMNI should be held accountable’
In a separate statement, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) said the suspension by the NTC is a “reminiscent of the previous administration’s attempts to weaponize the law and muzzle media.”
“Media workers have the right to feel vindicated or even celebrate these developments but we cannot lose sight of how these moves have been used against ABS-CBN, Bulatlat, and PinoyWeekly,” NUJP said.
NUJP noted that similar weaponization of the law has also been used against Rappler and the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
It also reiterated that red-tagging that SMNI allows on its programs “does harm.”
“Vilification of journalists and of members of civil society that SMNI allows on its shows can and has translated to harassment, surveillance and targeting of the red-tagged,” NUJP said.
“SMI, its consultants, and its talents should be held accountable for peddling disinformation and hate speech, but should be accountable for those offenses and not for simply offending a member of Congress,” it added.
In November, the House Committee on Legislative Franchise was directed to probe SMNI after Celiz alleged House Speaker Martin Romualdez spent P1.8 billion in just a year for his travels.
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