Solons tell SMNI host Badoy: ‘You don’t have the monopoly of love of country’

ANTIPOLO City 2nd District Rep. Romeo M. Acop and Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido M. Abante Jr. on Tuesday night did not take sitting down the statement of love of country of Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) anchor Lorraine Badoy, stressing she has no monopoly of it.

During the House Committee on Legislative Franchises hearing, Acop, a lawyer and former police brigadier general, vowed to serve again to defend the country like what he did during his career at the Philippine National Police (PNP), but stressed it is appropriately and legally.

“I have laid down my life very often just to protect this country, and if ever I’m going to be called again, I’ll do it not the way you (Badoy) wanted but the way it is authorized by the government,” Acop, chairman of the House committee on transportation, said. “I spent my life fighting for this country, so you do not have to tell me that. Mas marami akong isinugal kaysa sa’yo, so do not give me that crap.”

“I’m sorry for what happened to you, Madam Badoy, but you do not have the monopoly of love of country,” Acop said, referring to the panel decision that ordered Badoy’s detention for allegedly lying before a congressional probe.

Before House security officials escorted her to her detention for allegedly lying, Badoy was allowed by Parañaque City Rep. Gus Tambunting, chairman of the House committee on legislative franchises, to make a comment where she criticized what she lamented the alleged mockery of the congressional hearing. “This was the place (House of Representatives) where we could stand on our shared ground of love for country; what I witnessed right now was a travesty.”

Abante, one of the country’s most prominent Baptist pastors who complained during Tuesday’s hearing about being red-tagged by Badoy, also questioned the SMNI host’s statement.

“I do not know how old you are, Madam Badoy. When I fought the NPA (New People’s Army) in 1986, this government almost lost to the NPA. I was there fighting the NPAs. I do not know where you were at that time. So please do not make a monopoly on the love of the country; all of the members of Congress here love our country. That’s why we are here. We are not just politicians; we are people that love our nation. That’s why we are serving our nation, so please do not make that statement to me; it is still a lie, Mr. Chair,” Abante, chairman of the House Committee on Human Rights, pointed out.

Upon motion of Abante duly seconded by Acop, the Tambunting panel ordered Badoy’s detention for allegedly lying regarding the advertisement revenue of her radio program Laban Kasama ang Bayan with SMNI co-host Ka Eric Celiz.

House Deputy Majority Leader and Quezon 2nd District Rep. David “Jay-jay” Suarez, who earlier sought a congressional probe on the fake news of Celiz, and Santa Rosa City Lone District Rep. Dan S. Fernandez berated Badoy for allegedly not telling the truth.

Suarez and Fernandez made the statement after SMNI counsel Mark Tolentino contradicted Badoy’s claims that her SMNI radio program Laban Kasama ang Bayan had E-fuel, a food cart, and Galileo Water as advertisers.

“Based on my information, Mr. Chair with SMNI team, the show has no advertisers,” Tolentino, who also represented Badoy during the hearing, told lawmakers.“ [These are] advertisers not of Laban Kasama ng Bayan, but advertisers of a program before that program (Laban Kasama ng Bayan).”

“Mr. Chair, can we put it on the record, we already cited an individual (Celiz) in contempt earlier for failing to provide the information that the committee requires. To SMNI right now, again, very, very thin ice. Both of you magkatabi kayo (Badoy and Tolentino). Sinabi mo (Badoy) abogado mo ‘to (Tolentino), kayong magkatabi hindi pa magkasundo kung ano ba talaga iyung totoo. Sabi mo may tatlong nag-a-advertise, sabi ng katabi mo wala. Paano namin kayo paniniwalaan eh magkatabi na nga kayo,” a very disappointed Suarez said.

“Mr. Chairman, dito po sa breakdown ng revenue nila lumalabas dito na iyung revenue nila nanggaling lamang po sa radio station. Walang lumalabas sa revenue na nanggagaling sa show (Laban Kasama ng Bayan) ninyo (Badoy and Celiz). I think you are lying dahil dito naka-breakdown po ang revenue n’yo,” Fernandez, Chairman of the House committee on public order and safety, bared.

“Iyung station (SMNI) kumita ng P105 million noong 2022. Kumita noong 2021 ng P41.8 million. Kanina sinabi ni Atty. [Tolentino] wala daw advertisements and promotion [ang Laban Kasama ng Bayan]. Kumita sa advertising and promotion ninyo (Badoy) ng P12 million noong 2022 at noong 2021 na-declared n’yo ng P810,000 lamang. In other words, Mr. Chairman, clearly nagsisinungaling kayo Ma’am Badoy dahil sinasabi n’yo na kumikita kayo bilang co-producer pero hindi nakalista sa breakdown ng inyong revenue. So how can you explain that?” Fernandez said.

The panel earlier detained Celiz for not telling the source of his fake news about the alleged P1.8 billion travel expenses of the office of Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez from January to October this year.

He later apologized to Speaker Romualdez and the House of Representatives for the wrong claims.

However, House Secretary General Reginald “Reggie” S. Velasco clarified that the Office of the Speaker only spent P4.3 million from January 2023 to October 2023 for foreign trips.