‘Malicious and false’: MTRCB denies summoning Vice Ganda over fried chicken ad

MTRCB chairperson Lala Sotto-Antonio, Vice Ganda. Images: Facebook/MTRCB, Instagram/@praybeytbenjamin

The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) denied allegations it had called to testify a popular television personality, believed to be Vice Ganda, in connection with his new advertisement for a fast food chain where he can be seen eating fried chicken.

Rumors of the “It’s Showtime” host being summoned by the regulatory board circulated on social media, after a satire account on X (formerly Twitter) claimed that Vice Ganda’s way of eating fried chicken in the fast food commercial was not acceptable to the government agency.

The MTRCB through chairperson Diorella “Lala” Sotto-Antonio called this “malicious and false,” claiming it had not summoned a “certain celebrity who appeared in a recent TV commercial of a fast-food chain.”

“In this digital age, it is crucial to verify the news and be mindful of sources of information before sharing. This incident underscores the importance of media literacy and critical thinking,” their statement read.

The government agency also expressed its support for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the Presidential Communications Office’s (PCOO) efforts to “combat disinformation and misinformation.”

“We believe that we must put an end to the era of fake news and let truth prevail,” MTRCB added.

The government agency’s statement comes a day after the Kapamilya noontime show “It’s Showtime” returned back on air after serving the 12-day suspension slapped by MTRCB earlier this year.

Vice Ganda has yet to issue a statement addressing the claims, as of this writing.