Remember TV Personality-Turned-Troll Jay Sonza? He's Now Been Detained and Arrested
Authorities have confirmed that retired broadcaster and columnist Jay Sonza was arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for alleged syndicated and large-scale illegal recruitment.
According to an NBI report obtained by Esquire Philippines, Sonza had been temporarily arrested by Bureau of Immigration officials last July. He was said to have been on his way to a flight to Hong Kong at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport when he was stopped and subsequently detained. The former broadcaster reportedly had a pending estafa case at the time. In addition, there was apparently an active warrant against him for syndicated and large-scale illegal recruitment.
Sonza was then transferred to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology. Syndicated or large-scale illegal recruitment is a non-bailable offense.
The ex-TV host was a prominent broadcaster, station manager, and award-winning newscaster before he became a social media personality and self-confessed supporter of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
During the Duterte administration, Sonza openly claimed to be a Diehard Duterte Supporter (DDS), joining the likes of personalities like Mark Lopez, Krizette Chu, and Mocha Uson. In the past, Sonza has been criticized for peddling fake news and using inflammatory rhetoric directed at the government's critics, including former Vice President Leonor "Leni" Robredo.
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Who Was Jay Sonza Before Becoming a Rabid Duterte Troll?
Jay Sonza had quite a career in media in the '90s and early 2000s. He was a host for ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation from 1987 to 1995, most notably for the program Mel and Jay, together with then-co-host Carmela “Mel” Tiangco. The show would later transfer to GMA where Sonza was eventually replaced by comedian and host Joey De Leon as Tiangco's partner.
Sonza worked for GMA until 2004 as a supervising producer and consultant, aside from his hosting duties. In the evenings, he hosted Tapatan with Jay Sonza and sometimes anchored the news program Saksi. Later on, he became station manager of UNTV 37 and was featured in shows like Get It Straight and Ito ang Balita.
Sonza was also an editor for People’s Daily Forum and a correspondent of the Philippine News Agency, and Mindanao Daily Mirror, among other publications. Apart from this, he was a contributing editor and columnist for the Manila Times, Hot News, and Abante.
In addition, the media personality was president and general manager of Smart Promotions Inc., advertising director of Creative Technics Inc., and an information officer for the Commission on Population of Region XI.
During his heyday as a broadcaster, Sonza won several awards, including the PMPC Star Awards for Television, the Outstanding Journalist Award by the Rotary Club of Manila, and a Catholic Mass Media Award for Public Service.
Sonza also dipped his toes in politics, although he was less successful in this field. He ran for senator under Aksyon Demokratiko in 2004, but lost. He would be nominated as a member of BATAS party list in 2007, too. Three years later, he ran for vice president in the 2010 elections, under the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan party. He lost then, as well.
