HINDI umano maitutulad sa ABS-CBN, GMA, o TV5 ang Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) na sinuspendi kamakailan ng Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (SMNI).

Ito ang sinabi ni dating Sen. Leila De Lima na suportado ang suspensyong iginawad ng MTRCB sa mga programa nina dating Pangulong Rodrigo Roa Duterte, at tandem nina Lorraine Badoy at Jeffrey Celiz sa SMNI.

“SMNI is not ABS-CBN, GMA or TV5,” ani De Lima, dating Justice Secretary at chairperson ng Commission on Human Rights.

“SMNI is a blatant propaganda media arm. As stated, even mainstream media do not consider SMNI personalities as journalists or broadcasters because they have no record or careers as being such,” sabi pa ng dating senador.

Sinabi ni De Lima na hindi maaaring asahan ang SMNI na susunod sa broadcast at journalistic ethical standards lalo at ang mga personalidad umano ng SMNI ay hindi naman ikinokonsiderang journalist o broadcaster ng mainstream media.

“They are not career professionals in the field of broadcast journalism recognized by peers. They are propagandists and PR people with no idea of and are not limited in their trade by the ethical standards of broadcast journalism,” sabi ni De Lima.

“Govt can’t be made powerless to penalize consummated violations in order to preclude recidivist and unapologetic repetition of illegal conduct on air. Otherwise, violations will just be committed again and again without any possibility for accountability of fake news peddlers like SMNI and its fake news shows,” pagpapatuloy ni De Lima.

Ayon kay De Lima ang suspensyon ng SMNI ay hindi maituturing na unconstitutional gaya ng iniisip ng ilan.

“Although often considered as prior restraint, suspension of broadcast programs is also technical in nature. In the first place, this is the first time that govt is confronted with what is basically a fake news organization masquerading as a legitimate broadcast media entity that mainly peddles fake news,” wika pa ni De Lima.

“Free speech must be distinguished from the peddling of fake news and incitement of people to criminal conduct. Even free speech is qualified by the clear and present danger test as an exception to the constitutional proscription against prior restraint,” pagpapatuloy nito.

“What more for fake news and threats of criminal harm shamelessly regurgitated from the mouths of people who are not even professional broadcast journalists, like Duterte and Badoy,” dagdag pa niya.