UP broadcomm department urges MTRCB chair Lala Sotto to resign

The University of the Philippines Department of Broadcast Communication is calling for the resignation of Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) chairperson Lala Sotto after the agency suspended "It's Showtime."

According to MTRCB, multiple complaints were logged against the show's July 25 episode after hosts Vice Ganda and Ion Perez allegedly acted in an indecent manner.

In a statement, the UP broadcast communication department said MTRCB's decision to slap the noontime show a 12-airing day suspension shows its "lack of wisdom and discernment."

"The measure is regressive, and only illustrates the broad's proclivity for censorship and high handedness," the statement read. "It had regarded itself as an arbiter of media morality instead of a true advocate for 'matalino at responsableng panonood.'"

"We also call for the resignation of MTRCB Chair Diorella Maria "Lala" Sotto, whose pronouncements on national TV evidently compromised her position and objectivity as a public official."

The members of the department also said they are "appalled by the consistent failure" of the MTRCB to be "responsive to the times" and called its interventions on TV programs "unnecessary."

"Its utter disregard for the show's labor force which will be taking the brunt of the suspension contradicts any attempt at promoting sensitivity," they said.

"We append our collective voices to past and current calls for its abolition, or if at all, transformation into an information and media literacy agency that advances critical, intelligent, liberating, and sensible media production and audienceship, much needed in this milieu of orchestrated ignorance and disinformation."

GMA Integrated News has reached out to Sotto and the agency. However, they said that they have "no comment" on the issue.

Following the suspension, ABS-CBN said they would file a motion for reconsideration with the MTRCB.

—Carby Basina/MGP, GMA Integrated News