ABS-CBN noontime program ‘It’s Showtime’ has reportedly made extensive preparations for its temporary replacement during its 12-day suspension imposed by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB).
This suspension was the result of an incident where Vice Ganda licked Ion Perez’s hand during a cake-eating segment. While the program had the option to appeal to the Office of the President, it ultimately chose not to pursue this avenue.
As previously reported, the suspension is scheduled to take place from October 14 to 27.
In response to the suspension, ABS-CBN issued an official statement, saying, “After careful consideration, ABS-CBN has decided not to appeal the decision of the MTRCB regarding ‘It’s Showtime,’ and instead, the program will undergo a 12-day suspension starting on October 14.”
The statement further expressed the network’s respect for the MTRCB’s authority while maintaining that ‘It’s Showtime’ did not violate any laws. ABS-CBN also expressed its gratitude to viewers for their continued support and promised that the show would return on October 28, even stronger and better.
Reports have suggested that among the hosts of the “new program” during the suspension will be Luis Manzano and Melai Cantiveros.
However, it has come to light that ‘It’s Showtime’ submitted a comprehensive 16-page appeal to the MTRCB. This appeal included a detailed explanation of the incident that led to the program’s suspension during the ‘Isip Bata’ segment on July 25.
The appeal also featured a letter from a psychologist who argued that there was no sexual connotation in the act of licking icing from a cake using one’s hand. According to the psychologist, the perception of such an act could vary depending on an individual’s personal experiences and circumstances.
The psychologist stated, “This is about the licking of icing incident at ‘Showtime’ last July 2023, allegedly an indecent act of Vice Ganda.”
“A person’s individual experience or circumstance shapes his or her perception, including that of sexual activity or malice. In this case, a person, especially a child who does not yet have sexual awareness, will not perceive the act of licking food/icing from one’s finger as malicious or sexual.”
“Therefore, the children present during the subject show (who were seven years old and below) and even the children watching will not ordinarily perceive the subject conduct as sexual or malicious,” explained Camille C. Garcia, the psychologist who provided the statement.
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The 16-page appeal also included letters from the parents of the ‘Isip Bata’ kids who were part of the segment.
Despite the extensive appeal, questions remain about whether the MTRCB, led by Lala Sotto, thoroughly reviewed and considered these submissions.
