Thanks to their airing of red-tagging and false information, Sonshine Media Network International’s (SMNI) franchise is being revoked by the House Committee on Legal Franchises.
The Filipino broadcast network led by the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) founder, indicted fugitive and sex offender Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, is on indefinite suspension by the National Telecommunications Commission. Yet, their unethical practices and false narratives are still being aired through their online streaming platforms.
The House’s probe into SMNI started when one of their news anchors, Jeffrey Celiz, claimed that House Speaker Martin Romualdez spent P1.8 billion on travel funds. But even before this, SMNI has faced scrutiny because of their reportage rich with bias towards certain personalities, false information, and red-tagging.
Now they cry that their demise is a form of media censorship.
Red-tagging and reporting false information
Atom Araullo, a renowned broadcast journalist, filed a P2 million damage suit against SMNI host Celiz and Lorraine Badoy-Partosa for red-tagging him and his mother Carla Araullo—former chairperson of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, an organization founded to oppose the Marcos dictatorship—on September 11, 2023.
Celiz and Badoy-Partosa repeatedly claimed on their show “Laban Kasama ang Bayan" that the mother and son have links with the New People’s Army (NPA) and the National Democratic Front (NDF). These allegations were blatantly broadcast without any substantial proof.
Unfortunately, this case is just one of many examples of SMNI flagrantly making claims to support its narrative. No matter how scalding or untrue, they will lambast anyone who goes against their tales.
The core objective of journalism is truth-telling. As such, media institutions, like SMNI, must adhere to that objective. Oftentimes, they make unsubstantiated statements or provide a platform to air them.
One example is the time former President Duterte went on air claiming that stolen money by the Marcoses was never found. This is deemed false as the Supreme Court, the highest court of the land, states that at least P25 billion worth of the Marcoses’ wealth is ill-gotten, and some were seized in Swiss banks.
SMNI’s transgressions are evident. Any media outfit should uphold ethical values and honesty, and yet they continue to produce false claims and mask them as their anchors’ opinions—calling this debacle an attack on their free speech and press freedom.
These falsehoods deflect from the true attacks on free speech and press freedom. The attempt to silence deception is an attempt to regain the truth that has been trampled by their narratives.
Dutertes on SMNI
Even with this, political figures such as the controversial Duterte family, continue to advocate for SMNI. A stark difference between former President Rodrigo Duterte’s position on the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise four years ago, outwardly saying that he would see to it that their franchise would not be renewed—making it his personal vendetta to ensure the closure of the said network.
Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio has also voiced support for SMNI, even going as far as claiming that the network is being suppressed, citing its current status.
Taking a deeper look into this, it was because SMNI’s reporting favors them—even giving the ex-president a talk show where it airs no-holds-barred tirades.
Prominent political figures hold power that could easily influence the perception and outcomes of an issue. Their outward support for a media outfit known to be a peddler of falsehoods and unethical media practices supports the continuing deception of the masses, and it is damning and self-serving.
Promotion of false information and upholding the practice of red-tagging have no place in any reputable media network. It disempowers the institution of media; it tears away people’s trust in the supposed watchdog of the government and allies of truth—it stains its reputation.
As the fourth estate, the media must be reliable, and its main focus must be to serve the people. The House’s suspension of SMNI favors the press because it reinstates its credibility; it favors press freedom because it disallows them to target journalists when their reportage goes against their biases.
Article: Katrina Valerio
Graphics: Hannah May Manalo
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