On March 30, before the Holy Week rush out of the city, the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) inspected the Araneta Bus Terminal in Cubao.
It was to check if the buses had complied with the board regulation that allows public vehicles to show only materials rated G and PG .
Led by Chairman Eugenio Villareal, the team also conducted “Matalinong Panonood” briefings for passengers, bus drivers and conductors.
An R. Volante bus bound for Naga City was found in possession of a pornographic DVD.
Villareal said the bus operator, driver and conductor, along with several officers and employees, will undergo administrative proceedings—which could lead to fines and remedial measures.
Or, the proceedings could lead to criminal prosecution, “with penalties pegged at three months … to one year imprisonment, and fines from P50,000 to P100,000, as well as cancellation of the bus operator’s franchise with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.”
The board referred the case to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (courtesy of the Department of Justice), in line with a recently signed memorandum of agreement with MTRCB and the Philippine Commission on Women.
Board members Gladys Reyes, Bobby Andrews, Cecilia Nubla, Pat Binungcal, and Jay Revistir joined Villareal during the inspection. Bayani San Diego Jr.