SMNI flagged for allowing non-KBP accredited broadcasters to go on air

MANILA, Philippines — Television network Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) could face potential sanctions from the country’s independent broadcasting body for allowing unaccredited hosts not trained in responsible broadcasting to go on air.

A spokesperson of the Kapisanan ng mga Broadkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) told House lawmakers on Thursday that SMNI failed to comply with a rule requiring all broadcasters of KBP member networks to undergo training on the KBP’s code of ethics.

This was after SMNI’s legal representatives bared that their program anchors Jeffrey Celiz and Lorraine Badoy — two personalities who have repeatedly spouted disinformation against rights defenders, journalists, members of the judiciary and, most recently, House Speaker Martin Romualdez — were not KBP-accredited. 

Only the network of SMNI itself (formally the Swara Sug Media Corp.) is accredited with the KBP, lawyer Mark Tolentino told the House committee on legislative franchises.

KBP’s vice president for legal and regulatory compliance Lawyer Rudolph Jularbal said that SMNI “is lacking in observance of the code of conduct.”

“The violation is for allowing a non-accredited broadcaster to go on air. That’s the violation. The content is different,” Jularbal clarified.

These statements were made during the House legislative franchises panel’s inquiry into potential franchise violations by SMNI, whose television anchors have consistently been red-tagging and making unfounded allegations against human rights defenders and activists they perceive as sympathetic to rebel groups. 

Earlier this week, Celiz and Badoy, hosts of SMNI show "Laban Kasama ang Bayan,” alleged that Romualdez has P1.8 billion in travel funds – a claim immediately denied by House Secretary General Reginald Velasco.

While the hosts initially tried to defend themselves on their program the next day by saying that the allegation was stated in question format, Celiz on Thursday apologized to House lawmakers and admitted that his source was wrong. 

Celiz, however, maintained that what he and the former government anti-communist task force spokesperson did was to state the claim as a “commentary question." 

Some sources