LAWYER Atty. Mark Tolentino and Atty. Rolex Suplico of Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), approached the Office of the President after the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) dismissed the network’s appeal to amend the suspension decision it imposed on the network’s programs.
In December last year, the MTRCB enforced a fourteen-day preventive suspension on SMNI programs, including “Laban Kasama ang Bayan” and former President Rodrigo Duterte‘s “Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa”.
According to MTRCB, these programs violated certain guidelines.
However, a month after the network’s initial case was dismissed by the MTRCB, the agency once again imposed another fourteen-day suspension on the same programs.
SMNI’s lawyers argue that this decision is unjust, as there is no specified complainant in the case against SMNI at the MTRCB.
They raised the possibility of a secret complainant, similar to what happened during the time of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, Sr.
The Lawyers also hope that, along with their appeal to the Office of the President, the true position of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. in the situation involving SMNI will be revealed.
SMNI remains optimistic that the Office of the President will provide an impartial decision in accordance with the constitution.
