‘Alipato at Muog’ initially X-rated to keep away from sub judice

Alipato at Muog director JL Burgos. PHOTO COURTESY OF JL BURGOS

The Film and Tv Overview and Classification Board’s (MTRCB) stated it needed to safe a certification first “to keep away from sub judice” over the general public screening of “Alipato at Muog” – a documentary on the disappearance of farmer-activist Jonas Burgos – therefore the movie’s preliminary X ranking.

This was defined earlier than the Home of Representatives by Bacolod Metropolis Rep. Greg Gasataya, MTRCB’s finances sponsor on the decrease chamber, after an inquiry from Gabriela Occasion Checklist Rep. Arlene Brosas throughout the company’s proposed 2025 finances deliberation on Friday, Sept. 20.

“The MTRCB initially determined to categorise the documentary movie entitled ‘Alipato at Muog’ as X ranking. Para sa mga hindi pa nakapanuod nito, ang ‘Alipato at Muog’ ay tungkol sa paghahanap kay Jonas Burgos, isang nawawalang aktibista na hinalaang dinukot at tinorture sa kampo ng navy,” Brosas stated.

“Bagamat ni-reclassify ito to R-16, kinailangan pang magprotesta ng pamilya ni Jonas Burgos at kanilang mga taga-suporta,” she continued, referring to the attraction made by movie director JL Burgos, the brother of Jonas. “Gusto namin malaman ano ang dahilan bakit ito unang na-classify as X-rated? Kasi ayon sa mga ulat, ang sinabi ng MTRCB ay X-rated ito dahil ina-undermine daw ng documentary movie na ito ang authorities authority, tama ba?”

Gasataya, who was beside MTRCB chair Diorella “Lala” Sotto-Antonio throughout the deliberation, then defined, “The company, by way of its board, on the preliminary overview which consists of three members — they had been taking a look at a case which a certification has not but been issued. So to keep away from sub judice, they made that classification.”

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The sub judice rule, as per the Supreme Court docket, restricts feedback and disclosures pertaining to the pending judicial proceedings as a way to keep away from prejudging the problem.

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“Though after the second overview, when the company secured a certification from the Court docket of Appeals that there isn’t any extra pending case, they categorized it to R-16,” Gasataya added.

Brosas then recommended to overview the mandate and energy of the MTRCB, to which Gasataya agreed.

Following the reclassification of the documentary, the MTRCB earlier stated, “The Committee thought of the significance of balancing the pursuits not solely of the constitutionally protected proper to freedom of expression with the State’s curiosity in sustaining public order and integrity.”

The committee additionally decided that “a extra mature viewer is important to grasp, dissect, and grapple with the intense points offered on this documentary, with out compromising their very own religion and confidence within the authorities.”