MTRCB Is Going Through With the Ban on the Movie Plane, Says Senator Robin Padilla
Senator Robin Padilla confirms that him and representatives from the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) will push through with their ban on the movie Plane in Philippine theaters after a careful evaluation.
In an interview with DWIZ, Padilla said that the MTRCB has already talked to the distributor. "At ngayon ang gusto natin masulatan natin ang mismong producer."
On Wednesday, February 16, Padilla explained that he wanted to ban the film for portraying the island of Jolo, Sulu in a bad light.
In an address to Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, Padilla said: "Sa kanilang pelikula, ang sinasabi ang ating otoridad ay naduwag na sa mga rebelde. Hindi na po sila umaaksyon. At sinabi pa dito, 'They went down somewhere in the Jolo island cluster. It's run by separatists and militias. The Filipino armies weren't there anymore."
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He added: "Hindi po natin ito dapat tanggapin. Sana po, nakikiusap po tayo sa ating MTRCB, na sana po sa mga ganitong ganap, kumakatok po tayo sa opisina nila. Hindi po dapat ito pinapalabas sa Pilipinas. Dito po dapat sa ating bansa, ipinagbabawal ito at kino-condemn po natin ito."
The next day, MTRCB Chairperson Diorella "Lala" Sotto-Antonio responded to Padilla's inquiries. She said that the body acknowledges the sentiments of the senator. "Although the film is fictional, we still would not want our country to be portrayed in a negative and inaccurate light. The MTRCB will re-evaluate the film in view of the concerns and will take all necessary measures if found to be in any way injurious to the prestige of the Philippines or its people," she claimed.
Plane follows the story of an international flight that landed following a storm. Pilot Brodie Torrance (Gerard Butler), his crew, and passengers try to escape the jungles of Jolo, Sulu. Shot in Puerto Rico, the film has gotten generally positive reviews. It had even scored 76 percent at Rotten Tomatoes. As of February 15, it has a worldwide gross of $47.4 million.
