MTRCB reclassifies ‘Alipato at Muog’ to R-16 following second review

“Alipato at Muog” director JL Burgos and his mother Editha holds a protest at the MTRCB. Image from Burgos’ Facebook account

The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) has reclassified the controversial documentary film “Alipato at Muog” with an R-16 rating following a second review by a five-member board committee.

In a resolution, the MTRCB committee decided to grant the appeal made by the producers and several individuals to revoke the X-rating, or a total ban in public exhibition of the film, citing its supposed subversive content.

The review committee is headed by Unang Hirit host Maria Gabriela Concepcion, as its chairperson, with members lawyer Paulino Cases, Jr., film and TV producer JoAnn Bañaga, executive and music producer Eloisa Matias and retired educator Maria Carmen Musngi.

“The Committee considered the importance of balancing the interests not only of the constitutionally protected right to freedom of expression with the State’s interest in maintaining public order and integrity,” the regulatory body said in a statement following the reclassification.

The MTRCB review committee also determined that “a more mature viewer is necessary to understand, dissect, and grapple with the serious issues presented in this documentary, without compromising their own faith and confidence in the government.”

The R-16 rating means that the movie may now be screened in cinemas, but are only suitable for audiences aged 16 and above.

“Alipato at Muog” is about the disappearance of Jonas Burgos, who was tortured and believed killed by the military on allegations that he was a member of the rebel group New People’s Army. To this day, his body has not been recovered by his family, making him one of the known desaparecidos as his story highlighted the excesses of the military post-martial law.

Burgos is also the son of the late freedom fighter and newspaper publisher Jose Burgos Jr. The case eventually reached the Supreme Court and had been finalized in 2017 in favor of the Burgos family.

“Alipato at Muog” supporters protests at the MTRCB headquarters. Image from Renato Reyes / X

During the MTRCB budget deliberations earlier this week, its chairperson Diorella “Lala” Sotto-Antonio, said the agency is standing firm with its findings that “Alipato at Muog” is not fit for public exhibition, citing its prominent theme that supposedly tend to undermine the people’s faith in the government.

After the hearing, “Alipato at Muog” director JL Burgos, brother of the desaparecido, Jonas, urged the MTRCB to review the documentary with an “open mind.”

Meanwhile, the MTRCB clarified that while the Board supports academic film showings which serve as an avenue for meaningful fora and film appreciation, it is to be understood that public exhibition of films in the academe still falls under the jurisdiction of the MTRCB.

“Pursuant to Section 7 of Presidential Decree No. 1986 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations, only those motion pictures, television programs and publicity materials that are directly imprinted or exhibited by the Philippine Government and/or its departments and agencies are exempt from review and classification by the Board,” it said.

This is apparently a reaction to the producer’s claim that the movie was “self-rated.”

“Alipato at Muog,” which was first screened at the 20th edition of the Cinemalaya festival in August, had an agreement with the film festival organizers to provide its rating. The film eventually bagged the Cinemalaya Special Jury Award For a Full-Length Feature award.

Victory for freedom of expression

Several individuals have earlier marched to the MTRCB office to protest the X-rating on the film, saying the decision to prohibit its showing smacks of censorship and a curtailment of freedom of expression and free speech.

JL welcomed and thanked the MTRCB for its new ruling allowing the exhibition of the movie.

“Isa itong malaking tagumpay sa mga mamamamayan… Base po sa kwento sa amin, sila [second reviewers] ay tinamaan sa puso ng pelikulang ito. Sila ay naninindigan din sa katotohanan at katarungan, kaya nais naming magpasalamat sa MTRCB,” he said in a Facebook live.

Activist Renato Reyes said the lifting of the ban is “another victory for freedom of expression.”

Alipato at Muog gets an R-16 rating. Previous X-rating overturned. Another victory for freedom of expression. Mabuhay! pic.twitter.com/063NKQ1xGz

— Renato Reyes, Jr. (@natoreyes) September 5, 2024

He further said that had it not been for the movie, it would have escaped the notice of the public that Presidential Decree 1986, which paves for the creation of the MTRCB, reflected the Marcos era policy of suppression of freedom of expression.

“Nasa sentro ng usapin ng Alipato at Muog ang PD 1986 ng dikatudurang Marcos na in effect pa rin ngayon. Yes. Ito ang lumikha ng MTRCB at may provision kaugnay ng ‘undermining faith and confidence of the people in their government.’ Banta ito sa freedom of expression,” he said in a separate post on X.