MTRCB’s initial X rating on ‘Alipato at Muog’ given ‘to avoid sub judice’

Alipato at Muog director JL Burgos. PHOTO COURTESY OF JL BURGOS

The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board’s (MTRCB) said it had to secure a certification first “to avoid sub judice” over the public screening of “Alipato at Muog” – a documentary on the disappearance of farmer-activist Jonas Burgos – hence the film’s initial X rating.

This was explained before the House of Representatives by Bacolod City Rep. Greg Gasataya, MTRCB’s budget sponsor at the lower chamber, after an inquiry from Gabriela Party List Rep. Arlene Brosas during the agency’s proposed 2025 budget deliberation on Friday, Sept. 20.

“The MTRCB initially decided to classify the documentary film entitled ‘Alipato at Muog’ as X rating. Para sa mga hindi pa nakapanuod nito, ang ‘Alipato at Muog’ ay tungkol sa paghahanap kay Jonas Burgos, isang nawawalang aktibista na hinalaang dinukot at tinorture sa kampo ng military,” Brosas said.

“Bagamat ni-reclassify ito to R-16, kinailangan pang magprotesta ng pamilya ni Jonas Burgos at kanilang mga taga-suporta,” she continued, referring to the appeal made by film director JL Burgos, the brother of Jonas. “Gusto namin malaman ano ang dahilan bakit ito unang na-classify as X-rated? Kasi ayon sa mga ulat, ang sinabi ng MTRCB ay X-rated ito dahil ina-undermine daw ng documentary film na ito ang government authority, tama ba?”

Gasataya, who was beside MTRCB chair Diorella “Lala” Sotto-Antonio during the deliberation, then explained, “The agency, through its board, on the initial review which is composed of three members — they were looking at a case which a certification has not yet been issued. So to avoid sub judice, they made that classification.”

The sub judice rule, as per the Supreme Court, restricts comments and disclosures pertaining to the pending judicial proceedings in order to avoid prejudging the issue.

“Although after the second review, when the agency secured a certification from the Court of Appeals that there is no more pending case, they classified it to R-16,” Gasataya added.

Brosas then suggested to review the mandate and power of the MTRCB, to which Gasataya agreed.

Following the reclassification of the documentary, the MTRCB earlier said, “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 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.”