MANILA - The National Telecommunications Commission has ordered Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) to cease and desist from operating its radio and television stations pending hearing and final consideration of its administrative case with the NTC.
In an order issued January 18, the NTC said it received reports that SMNI failed to strictly comply with the 30-day suspension order issued by the commission against the broadcast network last December 19.
“Said Order was personally served upon and received by Respondent on 21 December 2023… However, notwithstanding Respondent’s receipt of such Order on the said date, the Commission has received reports showing that Respondent did not strictly comply with the suspension aspect thereof and was still operating in certain areas in Region VI by as late as 27 December 2023,” the order stated.
The NTC also said that despite the additional time it gave SMNI to file its answer to the show cause order issued by the commission, the broadcast network has yet to comply or file any written explanation on why it should not be administratively sanctioned for allegedly violating the conditions of its authorities.
Instead, SMNI filed a Motion for Bill of Particulars last January 11 for the NTC to detail the alleged violations of Certificate of Public Convenience. The Commission denied the said motion for “utter lack of merit”, saying the show cause order had sufficiently stated the acts alleged to have been committed by the respondent. The NTC also denied SMNI’s motion for its commissioners to inhibit from the case.
The show cause and suspension order previously issued by the NTC stemmed from a resolution of the House of Representatives, accusing SMNI of violating certain provisions of its franchise. In its hearings, the lower house found that the network allegedly violated its franchise thrice with its alleged failure to obtain congressional consent for the change of ownership of its shares of stock, alleged failure to distribute 30 percent of its ownership to the public, and alleged failure to fulfill its responsibility to the public when it supposedly spread misinformation.
“To protect the interest and welfare of the public from any public utility alleged to be violating or have violated the conditions of its authorities, Respondent should be prevented in the meantime or during the pendency of this case from operating its radio and television stations, especially considering that the Respondent is yet to provide the Commission with any written submission or explanation directly addressing the allegations against it,” the new NTC order stated.
The commission has given SMNI 15 days to submit its written explanation on why it failed to strictly follow the 30-day suspension order issued by the NTC last December 19.
The order was signed by NTC Commissioner Ella Lopez, Deputy Commissioner Jon Paulo Salvahan and Deputy Commissioner Alvin Blanco.
SMNI’s lawyer Atty. Mark Tolentino said they are still studying their remedy. His office received NTC’s order Monday afternoon.
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