SC asked: Stop cease order vs SMNI operations
REPORTERS and anchors of television network Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) yesterday asked the Supreme Court (SC) to stop the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) from enforcing its cease and desist order indefinitely suspending its operations.
Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, who was among the petitioners, said the NTC order was a “clear violation of the constitutional provision on freedom of the press and speech.”
“Unang una, ito ay malinaw na paglabag sa karapatan ng malayang pananalita at malayang pamamahayag. Pangalawa, dahil walang karapatan ang NTC na mag revoke ng prangkisa (First, this is a clear violation of the freedom of expression and of the press. Second, the NTC has no right to revoke SMNI’s franchise),” Roque told reporters after filing the petition.
“Kada minuto na sinusupil ang kalayaan ng pananalita at pamamahayag ay paglabag ng karapatang pang tao (Every minute that the said rights are being violated is a violation of human rights),” Roque added, as he clarified that the petitioners filed the petition not on behalf of SMNI.
SMNI reporter Jason Rubrico echoed Roque’s stand and said they are just fighting for their rights guaranteed under the Constitution.
“Kami po ay may dedicated coverage kay Pangulong Marcos during the election — kung sa amin nga po ay nangyari ito na sumusuporta sa gobyerno, paano na lang po sa inyo, mga alternative media, ano na lang po ang mangyayari sa inyo, sa mga hindi sumuporta sa gobyerno, sa mga hindi sumusuporta sa pangulo (We have a dedicated coverage of President Marcos during the election, and yet even with that, this still happened to us, so what more if you belong to the alternative media, those who do not support the government, those who do not support the president),” Rubrico said.
With this, the petitioners asked the High Court to issue a temporary restraining order and/or a writ of preliminary injunction to stop the NTC from enforcing its December 2023 and January 2024 suspension orders while the magistrates have yet to resolve their plea.
They also asked the High Court to issue a writ of certiorari and to declare that the NTC orders were issued with grave abuse of its
