A panel of the House of Representatives on Thursday kicked off its probe into alleged franchise violations of Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI).

The House committee on legislative franchises, chaired by Parañaque City Rep. Gustavo Tambunting, grilled SMNI representatives and its talents Jeffrey Celiz and Lorraine Marie Badoy over one of their TV broadcasts.

Tambunting said the franchise granted to SMNI owner Swara Sug Media Corp. is being scrutinized on its alleged violation of Section 4 of Republic Act No. 11422 where “the grantee shall … conform to the ethics of honest enterprise; and not use its stations or facilities … for the dissemination of deliberately false information or willful misrepresentation, to the detriment of the public interest.”