Sen. Padilla tinira ang NTC sa suspensyon ng SMNI

KINASTIGO ni Senador Robinhood “Robin” C. Padilla ang National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) kaugnay sa pagkawala ng “due process” sa pagsuspinde ng 30 araw sa Sonshine Media Network Inc. (SMNI).

Pormal na ihahain ni Padilla, chairman ng Senate committee on public information and mass media, ang resolusyong sumusuporta sa SMNI at kumokondena sa NTC sa pagbabalik ng sesyon ng Senado sa Enero.

Ani Padilla, mahalaga ang papel ng SMNI sa pagtulong sa anti-terrorism campaign ng pamahalaan sa pamamagitan ng programang kumokontra sa “communist propaganda and recruitment strategies.”

“The NTC, in its show cause and suspension order, failed to indicate the need to suspend the operations of the SMNI, much more express how this is necessary to avoid serious and irreparable damage or inconvenience to the public or to private interests,” nakasaad sa kanyang ihahaing resolusyon.

“In the absence of proof of serious and irreparable damage or inconvenience to the public or private interests that may be caused by SMNI’s continued operations, the general rule shall apply wherein the NTC shall have the power, upon proper notice and hearing, to issue a suspension order pursuant to the Public Services Act,” wika ni Padilla.

Ayon pa kay Padilla, bagama’t may kapangyarihan ang NTC na magsuspinde o bumawi ng certificate ng mga lumabag sa Republic Act 11659, may probisyon ang RA 11659 na maaaring magsuspindi ang NTC ng 30 araw “to avoid serious and irreparable damage or inconvenience to the public or to private interests.”

Ngunit dagdag niya na mismong Korte Suprema ang nagsabi noong 2008 na ang administrative proceedings ay dapat sumunod sa “basic and fundamental procedural principles, such as the right to due process in investigations and hearings.”

“The baseless issuance of a 30-day suspension order is a transgression of SMNI’s right to due process, which will result in serious and irreparable damage to it and its employees no less,” dagdag pa niya. (Mylene Alfonso)