Poe questions DILG plan to sue ’Ang Probinsyano’

Sen. Grace Poe on Saturday questioned the plan of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to take legal action against “FJP’s Ang Probinsyano,” an ABS-CBN series revolving around fictional police hero, PO2 Ricardo “Cardo” Dalisay, played by Coco Martin.

“Kailangan ba palitan din ng konti ang istorya para walang magmukhang masamang pulis, [walang] magmukhang masamang government official? Anong klaseng kalayaan meron tayo? ‘Pag may ginagampanan na senador na corrupt sabihin na natin, kailangan ba namin ipapigil yun?” Poe said in a interview with AM radio station DWIZ.

[Does the story have to be change a bit so that no police officer or government official would look bad? What kind of freedom do have? If someone, for example, plays a corrupt senator, do we have to stop it?]

DILG Assistant Secretary Jonathan Malaya said they would impose sanctions against the show – such prohibiting the use of PNP uniforms, properties and the ininitals “PNP.”

According to DILG Secretary Eduardo Año, TV series gives a “wrong message” to the public in its portrayal of police officers.

READ: DILG mulls raps vs ‘Ang Probinsyano’ producers

Poe said she would respect DILG sanctions on the show. But she noted how the show brings happiness to the public.

“‘Eh di mag legal action sila. Karapatan nila yun. Ako naman, ang daming problema ng DILG. Siguro naman pwedeng pagbigyan na nila ang konting kaligayahan ng ating kabababyan,” she said.

[So let them take legal action. That’s their right. For me, the DILG has a lot of other problems. Maybe they can just allow the show to give our countrymen a little joy.]

“Ang showbiz halimbawa nagbibigay ng trabaho sa milyung milyong kababayan natin. Pangalawa, ito ang isa sa pinakamurang aliwan ng ating mga kababayan na napapanood nila,” she said.

[Showbiz gives jobs to millions of our countrymen. Secondly, this is one of the cheapest forms of entertainment that our countrymen can watch.] /atm