Presidential bet Abella: Ihiwalay natin ang SMNI from Quiboloy

Presidential aspirant Ernesto Abella on Thursday said the Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) should be isolated from the matters involving Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.

At the Pandesal Forum, Abella was asked about his assessment of Philippine media.

“Media is more democratic. I mean we’re having this and we're getting a lot of coverage. And we get somebody like SMNI,” he said.

“Dapat ihiwalay natin ang [We should separate] SMNI from Quiboloy. It's a legal entity itself. Meron sarili siyang president [It has its own president]. Kita mo, they were able to elevate the discourse,” he added.

SMNI is a broadcasting arm of Kingdom of Jesus Christ led by Quiboloy.

Abella was one of four presidential hopefuls who took part in SMNI's debate on Tuesday evening. The others were labor leader Leody De Guzman, former senator Bongbong Marcos, and former Defense secretary Norberto Gonzales.

Senators Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and Manny Pacquiao, Vice President Leni Robredo, and Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko" Moreno skipped the event.

Lacson said he and his running mate, Senate President Vicente Sotto III, skipped the debates as Quiboloy already endorsed his candidates for the coming elections, former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao also declined to join the debates because of Quiboloy, who faces sex trafficking charges in the United States and is wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. — BM, GMA News