House panel cites Quiboloy in contempt for snubbing SMNI franchise hearings

MANILA, Philippines — The House legislative franchises committee on Tuesday cited embattled preacher Apollo Quiboloy in contempt after he again refused to attend the panel’s hearing into the alleged franchise violations by the television network connected to his church.

In connection to the contempt ruling, the House sergeant at arms has also been directed to physically bring Quiboloy to the Batasang Pambansa complex. 

In his motion to cite Quiboloy in contempt, Rep. Johnny Pimentel (Surigao del Sur, 2nd District), committee vice chairperson, said that the panel may cite any individual in contempt for ignoring its summons. 

That Quiboloy has thrice snubbed the House panel hearings on a bill that seeks to revoke SMNI’s legislative franchise shows that the preacher “acts like god” and “acts with impunity,” Pimentel said.

“It is very clear that he has no intention whatsoever of appearing in this committee. Under House rules, it is our obligation to show these people who take this committee for granted the sanctions that can be meted,” Pimentel said, adding that the committee has given the Kingdom of Jesus Christ founder enough time to face House lawmakers since it began its hearing in November.

Pimentel also criticized the “delaying tactics” of Quiboloy’s legal representative, lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, who told the panel that he would attempt to convince Quiboloy to show up to the next committee hearing.

House Deputy Speaker Rep. David Suarez (Quezon, 2nd District) said that the House committee’s hearings into SMNI’s alleged franchise violations have already lasted five months. Suarez said this demonstrates the “patience” and “leniency” of the committee toward Quiboloy, who, according to Topacio, refuses to face lawmakers due to concerns with his right to due process.

While Topacio argued that Quiboloy had the right to skip the House committee hearing as he no longer runs the day-to-day operations of SMNI, Rep. Jude Acidre (Tingog Partylist) said that SMNI’s franchise is a “continuing privilege” given by the House.

“Therefore Quiboloy, being the original grantee of the franchise, has a duty to attend,” Acidre said.

Rep. France Castro (ACT Teachers) also pointed out that lawmakers had agreed during the last House committee hearing that Quiboloy needed to face the panel to answer questions that his legal representatives could not.

Last month, the House issued a subpoena against Quiboloy for his failure to show up to the hearings of the House legislative franchises panel. 

Lawyer Mark Tolentino maintained that Quiboloy only serves as an honorary chairperson of SMNI and is unable to answer questions about its operations.

Meanwhile, Quiboloy was also served a subpoena by the Senate women and gender equality committee for his similar refusal to attend its investigation into the alleged sex crimes committed by him and other KOJC leaders.

Looming revocation of SMNI’s franchise 

On Tuesday, the House legislative franchises committee also approved House Bill 9710, which seeks to revoke the legislative franchise granted to Swara Sug Media Corp., the holding company of SMNI.

SMNI was granted a 25-year franchise in 2019.

The bill was filed by Rep. Rodge Gutierrez (1Rider Partylist) in December 2023 after House leaders turned up the heat on the television network for airing a segment where its hosts accused Speaker Martin Romualdez of having exorbitant travel funds.

Specifically, "Laban Kasama ng Bayan" host Jeffrey Celiz and former National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict spokesperson Lorraine Badoy alleged on live television that Romualdez spent P1.8 billion for travels in 2023. House Secretary General Reginald Velasco denied the claim and said that Romualdez only spent P39 million in travel expenses last year.

Celiz and Badoy were summoned to the House to explain how they came up with the figure, during which the House panel cited them in contempt after they refused to disclose the identity of their source.  

After apologizing for making the allegation against Romualdez, Celiz had asked to take back his apology from the record because he supposedly issued it without legal counsel.

During the House's probe into SMNI's possible franchise violations last year, media law expert Rico Domingo stressed there is a “litany of acts” that SMNI is “guilty of broadcasting on air.”

The law professor, who is also part of the Movement Against Disinformation, said that the red-tagging and the spread of false information on SMNI’s programs are “unprotected speeches (that) cannot be countenanced.”

In January, the National Telecommunications Commission ordered the indefinite suspension of all SMNI radio and television stations due to the network's failure to comply with an earlier 30-day NTC suspension order.