Meta suspends SMNI Facebook pages for spreading ‘hatred, contempt’
CONTROVERSIAL TV NETWORK Alleged rapist and pastor Apollo Quiboloy holds a one-on-one interview with former President Rodrigo Duterte in March 2022. — (File photo / Screengrab from SMNI News Youtube channel)
MANILA, Philippines — Sonshine Media Network International’s (SMNI) Facebook pages were suspended for “expressing hatred or contempt for a group of people.”
In an article posted on its website, SMNI confirmed that Meta has suspended the SMNI pages and its affiliates DZAR 1026 and SMNI Integrated News.
“[This] for allegedly expressing hatred or contempt for a group of people and using harmful racial stereotypes — citing a violation of their so-called community standards,” said SMNI.
“Let us be clear: we do not post anything harmful to the community,’” it added.
It came in the aftermath of the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte, a known ally of controversial televangelist Apollo Quiboloy.
Quiboloy owns SMNI.
In reaction, former top cop and known Duterte ally, Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, lamented this development.
“Pilipinas, where do we go from here?” he asked in a Facebook post on Wednesday.
“Kindly follow their other Meta accounts, Pulso ng Bayan and Newsblast,” he noted, nevertheless.
A quick search on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram will show that no SMNI pages are publicly accessible at present.
Its website, however, remains open for public access.
Meta is an American conglomerate that owns and operates Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp, among others.
