A CONGRESSMAN who was also a member of the cast of the disqualified film “Honor Thy Father” revealed a possible conflict of interest within the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) that could have influenced its decision in disqualifying the controversial film.
During the House Metro Manila Development committee on Monday, Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez said MMFF Executive Committee member Dominic Du is a client of Atty. Josabeth Alonso, who is also the producer of MMFF film entries “Walang Forever’ and “Buy Now, Die Later.”
“Walang Forever” won as the Best Picture, while “Buy Now, Die Later” bagged the second place.
Fernandez cited a letter to the Film Academy of the Philippines from the Alonso and Associate Law Office and duly signed by Atty. Alonso referring to Du as her client.
Du said Alonso is lawyering for most members of the Motion Picture Anti-Piracy Council, of which Du is the president.
READ: MMFF violated due process in disqualifying ‘Honor Thy Father’—solons
Fernandez said Du is an incorporator of the film distributor Axinite Digicinema which distributed the films “Walang Forever” and “Buy Now, Die Later.”
“I’m not accusing, ang sinasabi ko lang, sa rules ninyo there should be no relation. Pero here, one of your members is associated with the producer of Walang Forever and Buy Now,” Fernandez said.
The House hearing also showed that the “Honor Thy Father” film makers were not given due process when the MMFF disqualified the it from the Best Picture category.
MMFF Executive Committee member Marichu Maceda admitted that the special rules committee made a recommendation to disqualify the film on Dec. 14, but informed the executive committee to disqualify the film only on Dec. 26, a day before the awards night. This deprived the film makers a 10-day period to make an appeal.
The jurors from the Movie Television Review and Classification Board were also told as early as Dec. 21 to not include Honor Thy Father on the list of Best Picture finalists, way before the Dec. 26 executive committee meeting officially disqualifying the film, said juror Carmen Musngi.
The House investigation stemmed from the House Resolution 2581 filed by Rep/ Fernandez, who was part of the film’s cast.
Rep. Fernandez directed the MMFF committee to investigate “Honor Thy Father’s” disqualification from the category for the film’s supposed non-disclosure of its participation in two other film festivals.
The controversial film is about a money scheme through a pyramid scam led by Cruz’s family until his family was put in danger after their investor was killed.
Despite the controversies, the film still bagged five awards – Best Supporting Actor for Tirso Cruz III, Best Child Performer for Krystal Brimmer, Best Make-Up Artists, and Best Song for Armi Millare’s version of the Sampaguita original, “Tao.”
