MTRCB chair denies bias for Dolphy

abs-cbnNEWS.com

Posted at 12/27/2010

MANILA, Philippines - Grace Poe-Llamanzares, chairwoman of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), cleared speculations that the board gave the controversial film "Father Jejemon" a general patronage (GP) rating because the lead actor, Comedy King Dolphy, is a good family friend.

In an interview with ABS-CBN News during the MMFF Awards Night, Llamanzares stressed that the board made a fair decision.

"Ay! Siyempre kailangan patas tayo sa trabaho pero hindi natin maiiwasan na ang mga susuriin natin ay mga kaibigan natin o napamahal na sa atin. Pero hindi lang po ako ang bumubuo ng board marami po kami. Kaya nga nagkagulo-gulo nung umpisa dahil nga hindi ako ang mismong nagre-review niyan maraming iba.

"Hindi ko naman pwedeng sabihin na hindi pwede 'yan kung sasabihin nilang pwede. Para po sa ating madla mayroon po kaming pari galing sa Ateneo na kasama diyan sa board. Mayroon po kaming mga doctor, marami kaming abogado. Mayroon din kaming ordinaryong mamamayan, kaya nakakasiguro po sila na mayroon po silang representation," said Llamanzares, daughter of the late King of Action Fernando Poe Jr., who was a good friend of Dolphy.

"Father Jejemon" was given a GP rating after a second review was made by the MTRCB.

According to a source of ABS-CBN News, MTRCB’s Father Nick Cruz, RVQ Productions’ Father Larry Faraon and healing priest Father Fernando Suarez were among those who deliberated on the merits of the film after the board received negative feedback on some scenes of the movie.

It was Father Suarez’s congregation that complained about a scene that showed a priest accidentally dropping the host between a woman's breasts as she received communion during mass.

Another scene showed the host getting snagged in the false teeth of a communicant.

The negative feedback prompted the King of Comedy to voluntarily remove scenes that were deemed deeply offensive to the Catholics.

Llamanzares said the MTRCB appreciates feedback from the viewing public because they can act on it immediately. But in the case of "Father Jejemon," she appealed to people to watch the film first before making a judgement.

"Sa tingin ko importante na nagbibigay ng dfeedback ang manoonood dahil napanood namin kasama ni Fr. Suarez at nakita namin na napakaganda ng aral ng pelikulang ito at actually pinupuri nito ang kaparian pero hindi lang mapapansin sa trailer at hindi din natin masisi ang manonood. Pero noong bandang huli sabi ko napakaganda ng messsage ng pelikulang ito. Panoorin nila at sila ang humusga," she said.

During the MMFF Awards Night, Dolphy was named Best Actor for "Father Jejemon." He also bagged the Best Supporting Actor trophy for his role in the film "Rosario."