In a move meant to prove to all that Willie Revillame is still their favorite son, ABS-CBN has defended the beleaguered host of the popular noontime show, Wowowee, from a complaint filed by the MTRCB with the KBP.

MTRCB Chairman Consoliza Laguardia filed a complaint against Revillame last Aug. 10, stemming from the mounting public indignation caused by the host's on air outburst over the live stream video of former President Corazon Aquino's funeral cortege.

On that Aug. 3 Wowowee show, Revillame was heard saying, "Pangit! Hindi ho maganda sa atin. Nagsasalita [ako], ipinapakita yung kabaong ni Tita Cory, hindi ba? Papano kami makapagsasaya?"
 
Before that, the host addressed someone off-cam, thus: I don't think dapat ipakita 'yan. Nagsasaya kami dito, papakita n'yo sa amin yun [libing]...? Hindi tama, okay?

Although some ABS-CBN top honchos - including director Johnny Manahan, Bong Osorio and Linggit Tan - have already come out in the open to defend Revillame, public outcry over the matter continued to gather steam.

An example is the online petition demanding for Willie's head. Initiated by viewer Roel C. Saguisag, it registered 32,358 supporters in just five days.

The Alyansa ng Filipinong Mamamahayag (AFIMA) and The National Press Club (NPC) also voiced their indignation over Revillame's outburst.

Revillame had since gone on a leave of absence and had explained himself publicly. He had also asked for and received an apology from the Aquino family through Kris Aquino, another ABS CBN talent.

Still, these did not deter Laguardia from filing the complaint.

"It is wrong. What he [Willie] did was objectionable. It is against the broadcast code of ethics of the KBP (Kapisanan ng Brodkaster ng Pilipinas) and then sa part ng MTRCB, Sec. 3 of PD 1986 that of being objectionable and contrary to good customs and tradition," Laguardia said.

The KBP immediately transmitted the MTRCB complaint to ABS-CBN which then submitted a reply four days later, August 14.

According to the letter sent by ABS CBN to Ms. Diana Gozum, chairperson of the KBP Standards Authority, while it may be argued that Mr. Revillame could have expressed his thoughts in a better way and that it would have been better to raise them privately, instead of the public manner in which he did, such was not disrespectful of the dead and does not constitute an offense under the KBP Broadcast Code of the Philippines.

The letter was signed by Ms. Socorro "Cory" Vidanes, a top ABS CBN executive.

The following is that letter in its entirety:

Dear Ms. Gozum:

We write in reply to your letter dated 10 August 2009, requesting ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation to comment on the complaint of Movie and Television Review & Classification Board (MTRCB) Chairperson Ma. Consoliza P. Laguardia dated 10 August 2009, and an undated statement of Jerry Yap, President of the Alyansa ng Filipino Mamamahayag (AFIMA).

The said complaint and statement both refer to the 03 August 2009 episode of the television program Wowowee, wherein the funeral cortege of the late President Corazon C. Aquino was exhibited as an inset in portions of the said program. The MTRCB letter alleges that Mr. Revillame "appeared to arrogantly demand the removal of the inset screen showing the funeral cortege." The Honorable MTRCB Chairperson then opined that the said act was "desecrating the dead" and, thus, "seems to be in violation of Article 20, Section 2, of the Broadcast Code of the Philippines." On the other hand, the AFIMA statement states that "[f]or him to demand the removal of the little window screen showing the funeral march of the woman who got ABS-CBN back from Marcos is a blasphemy of democracy, an act despicable x x x." It appears, therefore, that the complaint and statement are both based on the alleged disrespect by Mr. Revillame to the late former President Aquino.

It is ABS-CBN's position that there was no disrespect of the dead by Mr. Revillame. When the funeral cortege of former President Aquino was shown as an inset during Wowowee, Mr. Revillame expressed his opinion of the inappropriateness of the simultaneous exhibition of both the funeral cortege and Wowowee, and his preference that only one or the other be shown.

In expressing his opinion and preference, though, Mr. Revillame did not show disrespect for former President Aquino. In fact, the contrary is true. In making his statements, Mr. Revillame wanted to give due respect to former President Aquino and her funeral cortege.

Indeed, in Filipino culture, customs, and tradition, ceremonies involving the dead are solemn and sober. Thus, the laughter, jokes, and happiness usually seen in a program like Wowowee would appear to be inappropriate when viewed together with the funeral cortege. On the one hand, the Filipino people are mourning the death of a loved and respected former President, and on the other hand, Wowowee is trying to entertain its audience.

It appears, therefore, that Mr. Revillame's issue was with the inappropriateness of Wowowee and the funeral cortege being shown together, and not with the funeral cortege itself. While it may be argued that Mr. Revillame could have expressed his thoughts in a better way and that it would have been better to raise them privately, instead of the public manner in which he did, such was not disrespectful of the dead and does not constitute an offense under the KBP Broadcast Code of the Philippines.

We trust the foregoing comment satisfactorily establishes that there was no violation of the KBP Broadcast Code of the Philippines.

Very truly yours,
MA. SOCORRO V. VIDANES Head, Channel 2