The House plenary hall (Contributed photo)

The House of Representatives has sent a strong message against television network SMNI regarding its alleged various infractions of the country’s laws. 

This, after the 300-plus strong chamber adopted on Monday night, Dec. 11 House Resolution (HR) No.1499, as amended, urging the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to halt the operations of SMNI.  

Deputy Speaker Batangas 6th district Rep. Ralph Recto, the presiding officer in plenary at that time, declared HR No.1499 as adopted following a simple voice vote (ayes vs. nayes). 

Introduced by Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) Party-list Rep. Margarita "Migs" Nograles, HR No.1499 was adopted in its committee report form that same afternoon by the House Committee on Legislative Franchises. 

For two weeks now, the Parañaque City 2nd district Rep. Gus Tambunting-chaired committee has been conducting an inquiry on the alleged franchise violations of controversial television network SMNI. 

The resolution stated that SMNI failed to fulfill its responsibilities to the public when it aired false information regarding the alleged P1.8-billion travel expenses of Speaker Martin Romualdez.  

The amount and the Speaker's name was brought up during a Nov. 27 episode of the program "Laban Kasama ng Bayan" hosted by Jeffrey "Ka Eric" Celiz and Lorraine Badoy.  

Celiz admitted in a Nov. 30 hearing of the committee that the P1.8-billion travel spree claim was "wrong and was not validated", according to the resolution. The program host would later apologize to Romualdez and the House in the same hearing.  

“Whereas, with the admission that the source of information was wrong and that the information was not vetted, in addition to the various complaints filed against SMNI for fake news peddling and red-tagging, it is clear that the SMNI violated its responsibility to the public not to use its stations or facilities for the deliberate dissemination of false information o willful misrepresentation to the detriment of the public interest,” read Nograles' resolution.  

During Monday's panel hearing, Nograles listed down 14 possible violations of SMNI across five "categories". 

These five that SMNI have supposed violations against are Republic Act (RA) No.11422, or SMNI's own congressional franchise; the 1987 Constitution; the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) Broadcast Code; the House rules; and the Revised Penal Code. 

READ THIS: 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/12/11/nagkakalokohan-dito-migs-nograles-gives-run-down-of-possible-smni-violations

“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.)  

Politically motivated?

In a chance interview after the hearing, Nograles brushed off allegations that her filing of a resolution against SMNI was politically motivated. 

"Let’s not get confused here kung ano ba yung totoong issue (at to what is the real issue) at hand," said the assistant majority leader. 

"May inu-urge tayo for NTC to suspend the violations, to suspend the operations, because may nakikita tayong violations not just the franchise but the other things," Nograles said. 

(We’re urging the NTC to suspend violations, to suspend the operations, because we're seeing violations not just the franchise but the other things.) 

"E lam kong maraming mga marites at chismosa dyan, gumagawa ng issue, na nagpapa- away na wala namang away. Again wag tayong magpadala sa misinformation. Walang bahid ng politiko to, talagang nakita niyo naman ginagawa ko naman yung trabaho tsaka due diligence," she said. 

(I know there are a lot of rumor mongers there, they make up issues, they try to create quarrels. Again, let's not be affected by misinformation. No political color here, you've seen that I'm just doing my job and my due diligence.)