THE House Committee on Legislative Franchises chaired by Parañaque City Rep. Gus Tambunting on Tuesday cited Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) founder and Suara Sug Media Corporation honorary chairperson Pastor Apollo Quiboloy for contempt for his repeated failure to appear in the panel’s hearings and answer issues about SMNI’s alleged infractions and the proposed revocation of its franchise.
The panel decided to defer implementation of the contempt order until March 18 upon the plea of Quiboloy’s legal counsel Atty. Ferdinand Topacio who informed the panel that he is slated to meet the KOJC founder on Wednesday (March 13).
“Five days from now if we do not hear from you, then we will implement (the contempt order).There’s no withdrawal, only deferment of its implementation. We will have to hear from you on or before March 18,” Tambunting told Topacio.
Topacio assured the committee that whatever happens with his meeting with Quiboloy, he will seek an audience with Tambunting as a courtesy and report to him.
“While recognizing the powers of this committee to hold a person in contempt, may I make the final appeal to defer implementation of the contempt order until after I have advised my client. That is a very humble request from this representation. I will be seeing my client tomorrow and I will be advising him accordingly. Just a few days and maybe we can submit something to clarify our position. If it’s still the pleasure of the body to continue with it, then we will abide by it,” Topacio said.
The committee also approved the motion of ABANG LINGKOD Party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen “Caraps” Paduano to direct the House Sergeant-at-Arms to coordinate with law enforcement agencies, especially the Philippine National Police, to bring Quiboloy to the House premises. This will be enforced once the deferment of the contempt order’s implementation is lifted.
Surigao del Norte Rep. Johnny Pimentel, who moved to cite Quiboloy for contempt said it is the committee’s obligation under the rules to cite the KOJC leader for contempt in order to compel him to appear before the panel.
“Again on my third reiteration, my motion still stands,” he said.
Pimentel’s contempt motion was duly seconded by Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr., Deputy Speaker David “Jay-Jay” Suarez, Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre, ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro and Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas.
The motion was unanimously approved by the committee members present.
Meanwhile, the committee also approved House Bill 9710, authored by 1-Rider Party-list Rep. Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez, revoking the legislative franchise granted to Swara Sug Media Corporation operating under the business name Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), repealing for the purpose RA 11422 (renewing for another 25 years the franchise granted to Swara Sug Media Corporation under RA 8122).
“For consideration of the body, the violations to the franchise we found are on Section 4 on Responsibility to our Public; Section 7 on Self-Regulation in relation to the numerous allegations, indictments, findings of fake news, red tagging; Section 10 on the provisions for sale, lease, transfer of ownership; Section 11 on dispersal of ownership requirement; Sections 10 and 11 carry with them ipso facto provisions for their revocation; and Section 12 which was just highlighted today all the more because we could not get the proper answer on the reportorial requirements,” Gutierrez said.
