MANILA -- The House Committee on Legislative Franchises has issued a subpoena ordering Pastor Apollo Quiboloy to attend the next hearing on the alleged franchise violations of Sonshine Media Network International.
 
Quiboloy, who is said to be an honorary chairman of SMNI, was a no-show in Wednesday’s committee hearing on the bill seeking to revoke the broadcast network’s franchise. He also did not appear in the previous hearings held by the panel regarding the house resolution urging the National Telecommunications Commission to suspend SMNI’s operations.
 
“Heads of agencies come here in Congress para tayo ay sagutin. It’s about time na paupuin natin, paharapin natin at matanong natin ng deretso si Pastor Quiboloy... Kasi hindi ito masasagot ng attorney lang,” Gabriela Party List Representative Arlene Brosas said.
 
“I’d like to move that this committee issue a subpoena to Pastor Quiboloy to compel him to be present during the next hearing. If Pastor Quiboloy does not appear, we’ll be constrained to move for a contempt order, after na hindi pa rin siya sisipot, ‘yun na ang warrant,” Surigao del Sur 2nd District Representative Johnny Pimentel warned.
 
Prior to Pimentel’s motion, SMNI’s legal counsel Atty. Mark Tolentino told the panel that Quiboloy is not involved in SMNI’s daily operations.
 
“Pastor Apollo Quiboloy is the honorary chairman of SMNI and he is not part of the day-to-day operations of SMNI,” he said.

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While SMNI’s television and radio broadcasts remain suspended by the NTC pending the final resolution of its administrative case, Kabataan Party List Representative Raoul Manuel accused the network of continuing to air on its online platforms statements that are false and red-tag certain personalities.
 
In a video clip he presented before the panel, SMNI anchor Jeffrey “Ka Eric” Celiz was heard linking an unnamed cousin of the President to the communist group.
 
“Hindi ko lang matanggap na parang wala nang pinipili ang SMNI. Parang kahit sino na lang na tingin nila ay hindi aligned sa kanilang views ay kalaban ng bayan at dapat nang i-red-tag,” Manuel said.
 
“Ang mga anchors namin nasa kanila ang karapatan magsalita kung ano ang gusto nilang sabihin. Kung ‘yan ang nakikita nila, then ‘yun ang komento nila, opinyon nila. Kung ano ang komento ng anchors namin, hindi ‘yun ang stand ng company,” Hannah Sancho of SMNI’s Board of Directors told the panel.
 
“Hindi namin binubusalan ang anchors namin sa SMNI,” Cristina San Pedro of SMNI’s Board of Directors added.
 
Lawmakers urged regulatory agencies to act on alleged continued red-tagging on SMNI’s online platforms.
 
“Ang NTC alam ko nag-cancel kayo or nag-suspend kayo ng website ng mga alternative media... SMNI, same pa rin naman ang content tulad ng nirereklamo nating red-tagging, disinformation, maligning the reputation ng individual,” ACT Teachers Party List Representative France Castro told the NTC.
 
“We had a preliminary discussion with the MTRCB. We were advised na ‘yung suspension order nila includes not only the free to air but all other platforms. Should the MTRCB decide to endorse that suspension order to the NTC for suspension on other platforms, perhaps the NTC can consider that,” NTC Deputy Commissioner Alvin Blanco replied.

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“If the MTRCB decided to suspend or cancel a program in all kinds of media platforms and said decision is final and executory, we can endorse it to the NTC in order for them to assist us in implementation of said decision,” MTRCB’s Atty. Anna Mindalano added.
 
SMNI, for its part, asserted freedom of expression and freedom of the press, adding that they are open to receiving complaints and disciplining their employees if investigation shows it is warranted.
 
The committee will schedule another hearing to continue deliberating on SMNI’s alleged franchise violations.

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