“It’s Showtime” hosts. Image: Instagram/@praybeytbenjamin
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. on Friday asked the Office of the President (OP) to consider the plight of “no work-no pay” workers of “It’s Showtime” when an appeal is filed before it.
The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) on Thursday denied motion for reconsideration (MR) filed by GMA Network Inc. and ABS-CBN Corporation on the agency’s earlier decision suspending the noontime show for 12 airing days.
“Without getting into the merits of the case, sana na-consider ng MTRCB ang kapakanan nung mga maliliit na staff at crew nung show na wala namang kinalaman at kasalanan dun sa nangyari,” Revilla said in a statement on Friday.
(Without getting into the merits of the case, I hope the MTRCB should have considered the welfare of the staff and crew of the show who were not involved or at fault in what happened.
“Sila yung mga ‘no work-no pay’ na kung matutuloy ang suspension ay dalawang linggong walang kikitain at kakainin,” he explained.
(They are the “no work-no pay” individuals who will have two weeks with no income and nothing to eat if the suspension pushes through)
The senator believes ABS-CBN and GMA will file an appeal with the OP within the allowed 15-day period.
And once the OP reviews the case, Revilla said he is confident that “humanitarian considerations” would be given importance.
“I think lessons have been learned,” he pointed out.
“Kung nagkaroon man ng pagkakamali, ang kasalanan ni Juan ay hindi kasalanan ni Pedro. So I hope we don’t punish those working hard day in-day out just to eke out a living,” Revilla added.
(If a mistake was made, Juan’s fault is not Pedro’s fault. So I hope we don’t punish those working hard day in and day out just to eke out a living)
The case against “It’s Showtime” stemmed from some of its hosts alleged “indecent” and “inappropriate”acts during one of its segments, “Isip Bata,” aired last July 25, 2023.
In the episode, TV host-comedian could be seen licking cake icing from a cake offered by his real-life partner’s, Ion Perez.