Senate concurrence needed to revoke SMNI franchise’

MANILA, Philippines —The revocation of the legislative franchise of Sonshine Media Network Inc. (SMNI) by the House of Representatives would have to be approved by the Senate first before it can take effect – in accordance with the usual legislative route, lawmakers said yesterday.

The House of Representatives approved on third and final reading on Wednesday House Bill 9710 nullifying the franchise of Swara Sug Media Corp., which operates SMNI. The House decision stemmed from accusations of red-tagging and spreading of falsehoods leveled against the broadcast network arm of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) sect of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.

The Senate is awaiting the transmittal of HB 9710, which it would forward to the public services committee chaired by Sen. Grace Poe.

“The appropriate manner of effecting revocation is through a repeal of the franchise law. Thus, the repealing statute must undergo the same legislative process as when a bill is passed into law,” Poe said in a statement yesterday.

She said she is deferring to the Senate leadership if it would decide to list the bill as priority measure for speedy approval.

“The committee shall seek the consensus of the body on this. No franchise bill has ever been listed as a priority so I defer to the leadership as to the pace of its disposition,” Poe said. She said it was “the first instance that a proposal for a franchise revocation has made significant progress in Congress.”

“We should subject this to utmost study and scrutiny as this shall set a precedent for future legislative franchises,” she added.

Her committee, she stressed, would be “guided by the principle that a franchise is a privilege, and that grantees should always abide by the tenets of fairness and public welfare.”

Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, a member of the public services committee, said the bill revoking SMNI’s franchise would be treated like any other bill.

In a phone interview with Senate reporters, Dela Rosa said he does not want to be perceived as blocking the passage of the bill just because he is friends with Quiboloy, who is also facing a Senate investigation on alleged sexual abuses in KOJC.

Dela Rosa also took offense at reports that