Lawmakers cite SMNI hosts Celiz, Badoy in contempt

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 6) — The House of Representatives on Tuesday cited Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) anchors Jeffrey Celiz and Lorraine Badoy in contempt for acting in a disrespectful manner and refusing to answer relevant questions during an inquiry.

During the continuation of the House Committee on Legislative Franchises' probe into the alleged fake news peddling of SMNI, Celiz refused to disclose the name of his source of his claims that Speaker Martin Romualdez spent ₱1.8 billion in his foreign travels for almost one year.

On Nov. 30, Celiz bared that his source was a Senate employee.

He later admitted that his allegation was false after House Secretary General Reginald Velasco clarified that Romualdez only had a ₱4.3-million travel budget from January to October 2023.

During the hearing, the SMNI anchor kept insisting he is bound by the Sotto Law, which protects journalists and other practitioners involved in news dissemination from being compelled to name their sources.

«I will refuse to answer, your Honor, not because I disrespect this committee, but I invoke my right guaranteed by the Constitution because I believe this committee cannot be above the law, especially the Constitution,» Celiz said.

But Deputy Majority Leader David Suarez argued that Celiz can't use Sotto Law in his case as he already admitted that his statement was false.

«You are talking about the inter-parliamentary relationship between the House of Representatives and the Senate,» Suarez said. «I don't think you see the gravity of the statements that you have issued between both houses in Congress.»

Hours after Celiz was ordered detained, his co-anchor Lorraine Badoy was also cited in contempt for the same reason.

Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. said Badoy was giving confusing statements regarding SMNI program «Laban Kasama ng Bayan.»

Badoy initially stated she was only a blocktimer, but later said she was a co-producer of the show, making her an SMNI employee.

She added that the SMNI program had three advertisers, but SMNI's legal officer Mark Tolentino said it had none.

The two were taken into custody, as ordered by the House