PBA Party-list Rep. Migs Nograles (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN))

Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) Party-list Rep. Migs Nograles cited at least 14 possible violations of controversial television network SMNI during a House Committee on Legislative Franchises hearing on Monday, Dec. 11. 

The committee recently adopted Nograles’ House Resolution (HR) No. 1499, which urged the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to suspend the network's operations. 

“We are really simply urging the NTC na mukhang nagkakalokohan dito kasi may mga fraudulent aspects dito. Sino pa ba ang next nating makikitang manloloko?” Nograles told the panel about SMNI. 

(We are really simply urging the NTC that there seems to be shenaniganshere because of the fraudulent aspects. Who will we see as the next deceitful person?) 

“Ang nakakatakot ay sino pa ba ang lolokohin nila?” she stressed. 

(The scary thing is, who else will they deceive?) 

SMNI—known by its legal operating name Swara Sug Media Corporation—came under heavy scrutiny after one of its program’s hosts claimed House Speaker Martin Romualdez had spent P1.8 billion on travel alone. 

This was proven to be fake news, which promptly launched the probe into the network’s misinformation practices and other potential violations. 

According to Nograles, one of these is the alleged failure to prove the convening of a two-third membership vote of SMNI’s major stockholder, Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC). 

As KOJC transitioned from a non-stock corporation to corporation sole, Section 14 of the Revised Corporation Code would mandate the vote of at least two-thirds of the members at a duly convened meeting of the body. 

According to its website, KOJC has more than seven million members. This means it would require around four million members of the megachurch to confirm its incorporation. 

Under the amended Articles of Incorporation dated Dec. 29, 2006, SMNI appeared to have convened during a special meeting on Nov. 8 of the same year. 

However, the invited lawyers to the House panel hearing,, who repeatedly insisted they were only representing SMNI and not KOJC, failed to present any proof of such voting. 

“I’m really hoping SMNI would be able to submit such documents or proof because if not, to the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission), this is grounds for cancellation because of fraud,” Nograles noted. 

Furthermore, the assistant majority leader claimed that SMNI violated Republic Act (RA) No. 11422, or the legislation that renewed the network’s franchise for another 25 years back in 2019. 

These violations include dissemination of deliberately false information or willful misrepresentation, transfer of controlling interest without prior approval of Congress, and the subsequent failure to report to Congress within 60 days after the transfer. 

The lady lawmaker further cited violations of the 1987 Constitution, Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) Broadcast Code, and House of Representatives’ rules as far as SMNI is concerned. 

“Sana po ay suspindehin niyo muna habang tinitingnan natin lahat ito na mga violations na nangyayari,” Nograles told NTC. 

(I hope you will suspend the network's operations first while we look at all these violations that are happening.) --Dexter Barro II