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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider House panel OKs bill revoking franchise of SMNI

House panel OKs bill revoking franchise of SMNI

Published Mar 12, 2024 09:29 am

At A Glance

  • The House of Representatives Committee on Legislative Franchises has approved a bill seeking to revoke the franchise of television network SMNI over alleged violations found by lawmakers.

SMNI.jpg

(SMNI)

 

 

 

 

 

The House of Representatives Committee on Legislative Franchises has approved a bill seeking to revoke the franchise of television network SMNI over alleged violations found by lawmakers.

On Tuesday, March 12, the panel approved without amendments House Bill (HB) No. 9710, which aimed to terminate SMNI’s franchise as granted to its official name, Swara Sug Media Corporation.

The panel’s vice chairman and Surigao del Sur 2nd district Rep. Johnny Pimentel moved for the termination of the hearings and the approval of the bill.

“This is already the sixth meeting we conducted. We have already heard all sides pertaining to this matter,” said Pimentel.

“We exhausted already all arguments needed to be discussed and, Mr. Chair, the six meetings we have conducted, this committee I believe was able to accomplish violations of Swara Sug to their franchise,” he told committee chairperson Parañaque City 2nd district Rep. Gus Tambunting.

During its probe into the alleged violations, the committee flagged four breaches in the provisions of Republic Act (RA) No. 11422—the franchise law of SMNI—namely Sections 4, 10, 11, and 12.

Under Section 4, SMNI was found to neglect its responsibility to truthful and accurate broadcasting by its dissemination of “fake news”.

To recall, a program of the network wrongfully claimed that House Speaker Martin Romualdez has a P1.8-billion travel fund.

This was immediately labeled as “categorically false” by House Secretary General Reginald Velasco as the total travel expenses for the lower chamber’s official trips only amounted to P39.6 million.

In its violation of Section 10, SMNI failed to “obtain the permission of Congress before any change in ownership,” said Pimentel.

In Section 11, the required dispersal of ownership to Filipinos was also allegedly transgressed. This is alongside the reportorial requirement as stated in Section 12.

“Klarong-Klaro po ang violations nila (Their violations are very clear). Although of course the legal counsels of Swara Sug will oppose our findings. They have their own interpretation also of the law. But I believe that this committee found sufficient grounds to revoke their franchise,” Pimentel noted.

The franchise revocation bill will soon be endorsed for plenary approval.

Related Tags

Committee on Legislative Franchises SMNI Johnny Pimentel revocation
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