Former spokesperson of the Duterte administration, Harry Roque, has stirred controversy by suggesting that the current situation regarding SMNI’s franchise investigation could be worse than martial law experienced in the past.

Roque, currently associated with SMNI as a talent, made the statements while defending the pro-Duterte and potentially pro-China network against allegations made by one of its hosts.

Roque questioned the state of free speech in the Philippines, pointing to the ongoing investigations into SMNI’s alleged franchise violations.

The network faces scrutiny after claims made by Jeffrey ‘Ka Eric’ Celis, an SMNI talent, alleging that House Speaker Martin Romualdez incurred over P1.8 billion in travel expenses.

Roque’s defense raised eyebrows as he compared the current political climate to the martial law era over 40 years ago.

During a program on SMNI, Roque stated, “Martial law na ba ngayon sa Pilipinas na bawal nang magtanong? Eh noong panahon talaga ng diktadurya eh hinayaan naman ang pagtatanong” (Is it martial law now in the Philippines that questioning is prohibited? During the dictatorship, questioning was allowed).

“Bakit mas matindi na ba ngayon? Sabihin niyo sa akin. Talaga bang bumalik na tayo sa martial law na sinasabi niyong mas matindi pa ngayon ang martial law na hindi pupwedeng magtanong?” Roque asked. 

However, Roque’s comparison neglected key facts from the martial law era, where critical news organizations like ABS-CBN were seized and given to Marcos cronies.

Critics argue that Roque’s defense is disingenuous, especially considering Celiz’s admission during a congressional investigation on November 30.

Celiz acknowledged that his information about Romualdez’s travel expenses was unverified and apologized for spreading potentially defamatory and false statements.

The contradiction arises from Roque’s assertion that Celiz was merely asking questions, whereas the investigation revealed Celiz was making direct statements.

Despite Roque’s plea for media protection of press freedom, his past support for the shutdown of ABS-CBN in 2020 has been labeled as hypocritical.

In a video clip taken by the Kamuning Pandesal Forum, Roque urged media workers to safeguard press freedom, emphasizing its importance for democracy.

The House Committee on Legislative Franchises initiated the inquiry into SMNI following claims made by its hosts.

Quezon 2nd District Representative David Suarez prompted the hearings, exercising the committee’s oversight function after Secretary-General Reginald Velasco denied the existence of the alleged P1.8 billion travel expenses.

Roque, in his appeal, emphasized the significance of free speech and urged support for SMNI, stating, “Sana po kalimutan natin ang kulay dahil kahit tayo ay pula, berde, o itim, pag kalayaan po ang pinag-uusapan, dapat sama-sama po ang lahat ng mamamahayag” (I hope we forget the colors because whether we are red, green, or black, when it comes to freedom, all journalists should be together).