DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 8 January) – Former President Rodrigo R. Duterte wanted to talk to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to help his friend, controversial Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy, in line with the National Telecommunications Commission’s (NTC) suspension of the operations of Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI).
In a press conference at the Grand Men Seng Hotel on Saturday evening, Duterte believed that the government regulator “did not follow the proper procedure as it failed to establish the alleged violations of the network.”
Duterte claimed the network has “always been careful” in broadcasting issues it tackled.
“NTC ba wala man silay nakitang (the NTC has not seen) – they have not come up with any allegations or charges of any wrongdoing,” he said.
He said that Quiboloy, who is wanted by United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation for sex trafficking, conspiracy and cash smuggling, did not ask him to intervene in the controversy involving SMNI where his program “Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa” (From the masses, for the masses) has been airing after he returned to civilian life.
“I do not want to confront the President (Marcos Jr.) but rather I would like to talk to him indirectly kung bakit ganun (why was that?),” he said.
Duterte said he did not “criticize severely” Marcos Jr. during his program, “save for some comments on policies of the current administration.”
“I’m just biding my time but one of these days, maybe I will have to come up with a statement, not necessarily defending Pastor Quiboloy, but just to say something about the way things are and it could mean anybody. It could mean Pastor Quiboloy or anybody for that matter,” he said.
The NTC issued a 30-day suspension order against SMNI effective December 31 over alleged violations of the terms and conditions of its legislative franchise under Republic Act (RA) 11422.
Passed in 2019 during the Duterte administration, RA 11422 renewed the franchise of the network for another 25 years.
“There is still time to correct if there is something to correct. Gawin na nila ngayon, sa Gikan sa Masa (They must do it now, with Gikan sa Masa). I do not know if I strayed along the courteous path. I cannot remember criticizing severely anybody in the government,” he said.
Prior to the NTC suspension order on SMNI, the Gikan Sa Masa, Para sa Masa was also ordered suspended for two-weeks on December 19 by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board, along with the “Laban Kasama ang Bayan,” for allegedly broadcasting death threats, profanities and false information.
Laban Kasama ang Bayan is hosted by Lorraine Badoy and Jeffrey Celiz, who are known for red-tagging or branding several individuals as communist rebels or supporters.
Last month, Partylist Representative Margarita “Migs” B. Nograles of Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) asked the NTC to suspend the operations of SMNI for spreading “false information” and “red-tagging.”
In the three-page House Resolution (HR) 1499, Nograles said the network operated by Swara Sug Media Corporation allegedly violated the “terms and conditions” of its franchise.
The resolution said that the law mandated SMNI “not to use its stations or facilities for the deliberate dissemination of false information or willful misrepresentation to the detriment of the public interest.”
Several complaints were submitted to the Committee on Legislative Franchise against SMNI, including HR 230 and HR 1428 filed on August 12, 2022 and November 6, 2023, respectively, for “fake news peddling and baseless red-tagging of individuals, groups, and organizations,” it said.
HR 1428 condemned the attacks hurled against ACT Teachers Partylist Representative France L. Castro by former President Duterte during his television program Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa over SMNI.
Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa was aired at ABS-CBN Davao when Duterte was still city mayor. When he was President, Duterte threatened to block the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise. He accused the network of unfair reporting, as well as for allegedly not airing his political ads during the 2016 presidential elections despite already paying for it. The giant network belied Duterte’s allegations. In 2021, Duterte’s allies at the House of Representatives denied the application of ABS-CBN for franchise renewal.
SMNI was also criticized for the claims made by Celiz over Laban Kasama ng Bayan that House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez allegedly spent P1.8 billion in travel expenses. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)