Palace backs MTRCB move asking Netflix to remove Pine Gap episodes

Malacañang said Tuesday that it was in favor of the Movie, and Television Classification and Regulatory Board's (MTRCB's) move asking streaming service Netflix to remove episodes of the Pine Gap series which featured China's expansive nine-dash line claim of the entire South China Sea.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque was referring to the Netflix drama series on a United States-Australia joint defense facility Pine Gap and spy work.

"Yes, we support that. MTRCB is under the Office of the President," Roque said.

"The Department of Foreign Affairs also said that such episodes should not be aired in our country which portrays a very inaccurate scope of Chinese territory," Roque added.

As of this writing, Netlfix removed Pine Gap Episodes 2 and 3 of the six-episode series.

Vietnam has lodged a similar complaint with Netflix, and the streaming service also acquiesced to Vietnam's request.

The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration invalidated China's nine-dash claim in South Chian Sea in July 2016. In the same ruling, the Hague court ruled that the Spratly Islands, Panganiban (Mischief) Reef, Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal, and Recto (Reed) Bank are within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The Hague decision stemmed from the case filed by the Philippines in 2013 due to repeated aggressions from China within the Philippines' EEZ or 200 nautical miles off the territorial sea as provided under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. — DVM, GMA News