Singer and Army reservist Ronnie Liang has accused the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) of engaging in ‘selective justice’ and having a ‘conflict of interest’ with its decision to suspend “It’s Showtime” for 12 airing days.
Taking to Twitter, the renowned “Ngiti” singer expressed his objections to the MTRCB’s ruling, highlighting that there have been similar or worse situations on other shows that the regulatory body did not address with the same urgency or attention.
“This inconsistency raises questions about their decision-making. It’s like selective justice. Sorry, but that’s the impression,” Liang emphasized.
Liang additionally pointed out the concerns surrounding MTRCB chairperson Diorella “Lala” Sotto-Antonio’s connections to “EAT,” a rival show of “It’s Showtime,” wherein her father, former Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, is one of the hosts. He raised doubts about the board’s impartiality and fairness due to these familial ties within the showbiz industry.
“Even though Chair Sotto claimed to have abstained from the suspension order, her position as the head of MTRCB and her close family connections to the showbiz industry cast doubt. It’s like having a referee in a basketball game who is best friends with one of the players – it just doesn’t feel right. People expect regulatory bodies to be impartial. When you have connections to the industry you regulate and your family is involved, it becomes difficult for others to see you as neutral,” Liang stated.
Here’s my honest opinion about the MTRCB issue with Showtime.
The MTRCB, as the regulatory body, should give clear and consistent guidelines or parameters for acceptable content. In this case, they quickly suspended Showtime because Vice Ganda was seen licking icing off his…
— Ronnie Liang (@ronnieliang) September 12, 2023
The singer-soldier further expressed that the MTRCB’s reputation would be at stake if concerns regarding perceived conflicts of interest are not adequately addressed.
“If conflicts of interest persist and the public perceives that the MTRCB is influenced by personal relationships, it could tarnish the board’s reputation and credibility. The board must be seen as fair and trustworthy. I have no personal issues with Chair Sotto, but someone else should lead the MTRCB. Clarity, consistency, and avoiding conflicts of interest will help maintain the MTRCB’s reputation and prevent public backlash,” Liang claimed.
The MTRCB’s ruling was prompted by the July 25 episode of “It’s Showtime” where host Vice Ganda licked icing off the finger of his co-host and real-life partner Ion Perez, leading some to perceive it as an “emulation of a sexual activity.”
While the decision of the review body is not yet final, it has resulted in a criminal complaint filed by a group of social media broadcasters who aim to have the criticized episode taken down due to its alleged negative impact on children and the general public.
Sotto claimed to have abstained from participating in the board’s decision to suspend “It’s Showtime.” She also denied any involvement in the filing of the cybercrime charge against Vice Ganda and Perez on September 11. EDV