Puentevella denies hand in suspension of cable channel
BACOLOD CITY — Bacolod Representative Monico O. Puentevella strongly denied allegations that he is behind the suspension of Sunshine Channel 14 on SkyCable.
Amado Villacarlos, operations officer of Sunshine Channel 14, claimed that SkyCable management ordered their suspension after Rep. Puentevella called Mr. Raul Montinola, operations manager of Skycable-Bacolod.
Earlier, Sunshine Channel program hosts Edmund Aspero and Romy Niere also pointed at Rep. Puentevella as behind the suspension of the cable channel. Aspero and Niere are critics of the Bacolod congressman.
In his defense, Puentevella cited Montinola’s letter to the Sunshine Channel that the suspension stemmed from their approval to air the programs of Niere (Options) and Aspero (D Examiner) without SkyCable’s prior knowledge and approval which is a clear violation of the specific terms and conditions of the Memorandum of Agreement on the lease of Sunshine Channel 14.
“There is nothing in the memorandum of Skycable that hints of any direct or indirect pressure on my part to suspend Sunshine Channel 14. I am surprised however why Amado Villacarlos, President and Chief Operating Officer, of Sunshine Channel 14 made reference to me, in his unsigned memorandum to Niere and Aspero, as the one responsible for their suspension,” Puentevella said.
He believed that the suspension of Sunshine Channel 14 is a concern of the former with its cable provider SkyCable. It is SkyCable which regulates and supervises the operation of Sunshine Channel 14. Puentevella also stressed that SkyCable is a private enterprise, and it is a subsidiary corporation of ABS-CBN. As such, SkyCable management decisions are based purely on sound business prospects.
Prior to the suspension of the programs which was imposed last Monday, Montinola along with Glynda Descuatan, Area Manager for Airtime-Visayas, wrote Villacarlos and Sunshine Channel chairman Primo Esleyer on the violations committed by Sunshine Channel 14.
Montinola reiterated the terms and conditions of their Memorandum of Agreement stating that “No Broadcaster or Program Host previously suspended for cause by the management of any of the PCC-Bacolod systems in the country, as well as other media outlets, shall be allowed to broadcast in the leased channel, without PCC-Bacolod’s written consent”.
They insisted that the re-appearance of Aspero and Niere without their knowledge and approval was a clear violation of the terms and conditions. Montinola therefore imposed a sanction of 15 days suspension of Sunshine Channel and was pulled off the air starting last Monday at 1 a.m.