DZRH Logo
House OKs bill revoking SMNI's franchise on 2nd reading
House OKs bill revoking SMNI's franchise on 2nd reading
Nation
House OKs bill revoking SMNI's franchise on 2nd reading
by Ellicia Del Mundo14 March 2024
DZRH file photo

The House of Representatives on Wednesday, March 13, approved on second reading the bill seeking to revoke the legislative franchise of Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) due to alleged multiple violations.

House Bill (HB) 9710 was approved on second reading without interpolations and amendments from House lawmakers.

House Committee on Legislative Franchises chairperson and Parañaque City 2nd District Rep. Gus Tambunting sponsored HB 9710.

In his sponsorship speech, Tambunting said his committee found that SMNI, whose legal operating name is Swara Sug Media Corporation, infringed Sections 4, 7, and 12 of Republic Act 11422 or An Act Granting the Swara Sug Media Corporation of the Philippines a Franchise.

Advertisement

"During the course of six hearings spanning five months, the committee also discovered that SMNI committed grave violations of the terms of the franchise. Therefore, warranting its revocation," he said.

According to the lawmaker, SMNI violated Section 4 and Section 7 of RA 11422 "through the blatant red-tagging, fake news peddling."

The broadcast media also violated Section 12 of RA 1142 "when changes of ownership were not reported to Congress."

Advertisement

"When the franchisee failed to comply with the dispersal of ownership requirement and failed to comply with the reportorial requirement for almost three decades. Therefore, on behalf of the Committee on Franchises, we respectfully submit the approval of House Bill No. 9710," he said.

The House Committee on Legislative Franchises approved HB 9710 on Tuesday, March 12.

Share
Related Topics
listen Live
DZRH News Live Streaming
Home
categories
RHTV Link
Latest
Most Read