THE House of Representatives’ Committee on Legislative Franchises on Tuesday voted to terminate the broadcasting privilege granted to Swara Sug Media Corp., also known as Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI).
Meanwhile, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri issued a 48-hour show-cause order to Pastor Apollo Quiboloy for failing to attend the Senate hearings and said he is ready to issue a warrant of arrest against the controversial televangelist if he still defies the order to attend the chamber’s hearing on his cases.
In a related development, Vice President and Education Sara Duterte released a video statement declaring her support for the embattled Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader and SMNI, which broadcast the message on its social media.
For his part, Senator Robinhood Padilla sought consideration for theKOJC founder to be allowed s show cause order in the next hearing. Hepointed out there were “threats to Quiboloy’s personal safety, so he must be careful when in public.”
As this developed, some lawmakers shrugged off the appointment of former President Rodrigo Duterte as administrator of the assets and properties of the KOJC. Duterte is a close friend of Quiboloy.
1-RIDER Party-list Rep. Rodge Gutierrez acknowledged the former president’s new role but expressed uncertainty regarding any substantial implications, particularly in light of the ongoing congressional inquiries involving Quiboloy, KOJC, and SMNI.
Deputy Speaker and Quezon 2nd District Rep. David Suarez echoed Gutierrez’s sentiment, emphasizing Quiboloy’s right to appoint the former president as administrator of his assets.
But Suarez downplayed any significant implications of the appointment, emphasizing the need for due process and adherence to legal procedures in addressing pertinent issues concerning the assets in question.
At the end of its sixth hearing on alleged violations of SMNI’s congressional franchise, the committee chaired by Parañaque Rep. Gus Tambunting decided to endorse to the plenary the approval of House Bill 9710, authored by Rep. Rodge Gutierrez of 1-RIDER party-list, which seeks the termination of the network’s franchise.
SMNI lawyer Mark Tolentino made a last-minute attempt to delay the vote by appealing to the committee to read its position paper on Bill No. 9710.
Committee vice chairman and Surigao del Norte Rep. Johnny Pimentel then moved for the termination of the hearings and the approval of the bill.
The panel earlier cited Quiboloy for contempt and ordered his arrest by the House sergeant-at-arms for refusal to attend the hearings.
At the Senate, Zubiri’s order to Quiboloy read: “You are hereby ordered to show cause within a non-extensible 48 hours from receipt of this Order why you should not be arrested and detained at the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms.”
Zubiri said the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality chaired by Senator Risa Hontiveros. duly seconded by Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, has cited Quiboloy in contempt for unduly refusing to appear in the Senate hearings on Jan. 23, Feb. 19, and March 5, 2024 despite notices.
The pastor merely sent his counsel to appear at the Senate on his behalf “without justifiable reason, thereby delaying, impeding, and obstructing the inquiry on the reported cases of large-scale human trafficking, rape, sexual abuse, violence and child abuse” within the KOJC, Zubiri noted.
Pimentel said the House panel has already held six hearings since the latter part of 2023. “All arguments and issues have been exhaustively discussed. And we have established violations by Swara Sug of at least four sections of its franchise – Sections 4, 10, 11, and 12,” he said.
Pimentel said the SMNI, believed owned by Quiboloy, violated Section 4 on its responsibility to be truthful and accurate in its broadcasting.
“They violated Section 10, which requires them to obtain the permission of Congress before any change in ownership,” he said.
Pimentel noted that in 2020, Swara Sug reported to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that it was 95-percent owned by Quiboloy’s KOJC.
However, in 2022, Swara Sug transferred 46-percent of its ownership to another entity without obtaining congressional approval, he said.
He said Sec. 11 requiring dispersal of ownership to Filipinos was also transgressed.
“They should have offered at least 30 percent to Filipinos. After 29 years, not one share of stock was offered,” he said.
He added that the Sec. 12, which was also violated, is on the reportorial requirement.
Meanwhile, Vice President Duterte said in a two-minute video released through the SMNI program “Totoong Boses ng Bayan”: “Justice and the truth cannot be achieved in trial by publicity, but by a day in court.”
She appealed to lawmakers who summoned Quiboloy in separate congressional hearings to stop making him appear like he was already guilty. She described what the pastor has been experiencing lately as an example of unjust persecution.
Quiboloy was facing charges of sexual assault, human trafficking, labor violations, among other allegations of abuse. He also has a standing warrant of arrest from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for alleged frauds in the United States.
Hontiveros called for his arrest for repeatedly ignoring subpoenas requiring him to attend the hearings.
Aside from Padilla, those who signed the reversal of the ruling were Senators Cynthia Villar, Imee Marcos and Christopher Go.