The House Committee on Legislative Franchises on Monday, Dec. 11, adopted the House resolution urging the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to suspend the legislative franchise of Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) due to alleged violations.
The House panel adopted House Resolution No. (HRN) 1499 filed by Pwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) Party-list Rep. Margarita Nograles last Dec. 4.
Under HRN 1499, Nograles said the NTC should suspend the operations of SMNI, whose legal operating name is Sug Media Corporation, for allegedly violating the terms and conditions of its franchise under Republic Act (RA) No. 11422.
She particularly cited that SMNI violated Section 4 of RA 11422 for deliberately spreading "false information or willful misrepresentation of the detriment of the public interest."
"SMNI failed in its responsibility to the public by deliberately disseminating false information, some Members of the House of Representatives filed House Resolutions and urged the National Telecommunications Commission to look into any violation of the terms and conditions of franchise committed by SMNI," the House solon said.
Photo courtesy: House of Representatives website
During the panel hearing on SMNI's franchise on Monday, Nograles also cited that SMNI allegedly violated the following:
- Transfer of controlling interest without prior approval of the Congress
- No report to Congress within 60 days after the transfer
- Failure to comply with the 30% dispersal of ownership to the public
- Swara Sug is essentially a monopoly, no dispersal of ownership to the public
Screengrab from House of Representatives Facebook page
She also said that SMNI violated several codes when it was still a member of the Kapisanan ng Broadkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP).
"The broadcast media only withdrew its membership from the KBP on December 4, 2023. They cannot now wash their hands and say that all other violations that they did prior to that, do not apply to them," Nograles said.
Nograles also sought the cancelation of SMNI's registration for violating the Revised Corporation Code.
Moreover, the House solon said SMNI violated House rules when two of its hosts, Jeffrey ‘Ka Eric’ Celiz and Lorraine Badoy, were cited in contempt.
