British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) called out Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) for using their footage without permission in a tweet on Wednesday, February 16.
Sonshine Media Network International, also known by its legal operating name Swara Sug Media Corporation, is the official broadcasting arm of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ led by the Filipino church leader and televangelist Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy.
Howard Johnson, BBC News Philippines correspondent, claimed that SMNI used their footage of Scarborough Shoal in an SMNI trailer.
The trailer was aired during the presidential debate on Tuesday, February 15, organized by the media network owned by Quiboloy.
LOOK: BBC News footage from Scarborough Shoal appeared in an SMNI trailer last night with the words: “[SMNI] has a strong stand on what’s right. We will not betray the People. And we will not be exchanged for anything. Honest and not a thief.” pic.twitter.com/4ezFSmhNQm
— Howard Johnson (@Howardrjohnson) February 16, 2022
Johnson stated, “Neither the BBC News team in Manila nor London were approached to seek permission to use the footage.”
According to him, the Scarborough Shoal footage was broadcasted on BBC World News in July 2021.
He added, “As far as I can see, the footage of Scarborough Shoal, aired in July 2021 on BBC World News, is not available on the Getty website, a third-party site where news organizations can purchase BBC footage.”
“It may well be that SMNI has other ways of obtaining footage.”
Johnson said he was shocked when he saw the footage in the trailer as it is very familiar to him.
“I was just shocked when I saw it because as a shoot-edit-reporter, you never forget the things you film. Seven days on a boat heading to Scarborough Shoal is an experience I will always cherish. We delivered a report that showed that Chinese naval assets continued to blockade the inner lagoon from entry by medium to large Filipino fishing vessels – and the acts of intimidation against them,” the BBC correspondent said.