‘Where is justice?’ Angelica Panganiban asks amid ‘Honor Thy Father,’ MMFF controversy

Angelica Panganiban

“Heartbreaking” was how actress-comedienne Angelica Panganiban described the disqualification of “Honor Thy Father,” which starred her boyfriend John Lloyd Cruz as lead, from the Best Picture race of the 2015 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).

“Nakakalungkot to… Nakakalungkot… Heartbreaking (This is really, really sad),” Panganiban said in an Instagram post, reposting a copy of MMFF overall chairman Emmerson Carlos’ letter to “Honor Thy Father” producer Ronald Monteverde regarding the film’s disqualification over supposed non-disclosure of its participation in another film festival.

READ: MMFF disqualifies ‘Honor They Father’ from Best Picture category

But despite the news, Panganiban urged the public to move on, set negativity aside, and spend time to watch the Erik Matti-directed film.

“Patuloy lang kayo manood ng #honorthyfather. Palabas pa din. Hindi siya tinanggal sa cinemas… Sa best picture category lang, sa awarding ceremony. Nasan ang hustisya? Pero, dahil Pasko, bawal ang nega! Ganun talaga eh. Kibit balikat at mag move on na lang. Nood kayo pag may time at kapag walang time, bigyan natin ng halaga, katulad nang ginawa ng mga bumuo ng pelikulang ito,” she said.

(Contibue to watch #honorthyfather. It’s still showing. It’s not yet pulled out from the cinemas. Only in the best [picture] category in the awarding ceremony. Where’s justice? But since it’s Christmas, no to negative [vibes]. That’s life. Let’s move on. Watch it if you have time but if you don’t have time, let’s give it value like those who made the film.)

Panganiban also urged fellow members of the film industry to cooperate with one another instead of pulling each other down for the love of the craft.

“Kung mahal mo trabaho mo, at ang industriya, magtulungan tayo ngayon. Wag tayo maghilahan pababa…. #mmff2015scandal #HonorThyFather,” she said.

(If you love your job and the industry, let us help each other now. Let us not pull each other down.)

Monteverde on Saturday said they did not violate any festival rule, adding that they were denied due process without being given the opportunity to air their side.

READ: Erik Matti’s ‘Honor Thy Father’ opens Cinema One Originals 2015 | MMFF: We could’ve imposed stiffer sanctions to ‘Honor Thy Father’

But the MMFF executive committee said disqualifying “Honor Thy Father” only from the Best Picture category was the “lightest sanction” the organization could impose, noting that the producer’s late letter of notice did not give them enough time to deliberate on the matter. YG/TVJ

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