House panel approves bill revoking SMNI franchise

Photo of SMNI logo from INQUIRER files

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives committee on legislative franchises has approved a bill that seeks to revoke the franchise given to Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) in light of several violations found by lawmakers.

During the panel’s hearing on Tuesday afternoon, House Bill No. 9710 by 1-Rider party-list Representative Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez was approved without amendments by the committee chair and Parañaque 2nd District Representative Gus Tambunting.

The committee report containing the bill was also subsequently approved by the panel.

SMNI, operating as Swara Sug Media Corporation, was initially probed by the House after ‘Laban Kasama ang Bayan’ program host Jeffrey Celiz wrongly claimed that Romualdez spent P1.8 billion for trips in 2023.

House Secretary General Reginald Velasco clarified that the total travel cost for all House members and their staff from January 2023 to October 2023 was only P39.6 million.

Eventually, hearings on the network revealed possible violations of its franchise.

According to Pimentel, they are looking at three possible violations of SMNI’s franchise:

Section 4 mandates SMNI or Swara Sug Media Corporation — the legal name of SMNI — to “provide at all times sound and balanced programming”

Section 10 which mandates SMNI to inform Congress about the sale of the company to other owners or other major changes

Section 11 which mandates the SMNI to offer at least 30 percent of its stock to the public