ABS-CBN issues statement on MTRCB's suspension of 'It's Showtime'
ABS-CBN Corporation is firm on its belief that It's Showtime has not violated any law with its viral cake icing scene involving hosts Vice Ganda and Ion Perez.
The media company said this in a statement issued tonight, Sept. 4, against the decision of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) to suspend the noontime show because of the hosts allegedly "acting in an indecent manner" during its July 25 episode.
In the statement read by ABS-CBN news anchor Bernadette Sembrano during TV Patrol's Monday episode, the organization said that it is filing a Motion for Reconsideration (MR) for MTRCB's suspension of It's Showtime for 12 airing days.
"Natanggap namin ang ruling ng MTRCB na nag-uutos na isuspinde ang 'It's Showtime' sa loob ng 12 draw mula sa pinalidad ng desisyong ito," ABS-CBN began.
"Kami ay maghahain ng Motion for Reconsideration dahil naniniwala kami na walang nangyaring paglabag sa anumang batas."
The company added that it will continue coordinating with the agency in order for the show to continue giving entertainment to its loyal fans dubbed "Madlang People."
"Patuloy rin kaming makikipag-ugnayan sa MTRCB para makapagpatuloy ang 'It's Showtime' sa paghahatid ng libanagan at saya sa minamanl naming Madlang People," the statement read.
"Buong puso kaming nagpapasalamat sa lahat ng nagmamahal at sumusuporta sa 'It's Showtime.'"
The show later posted an English translation of the statement on its Facebook page.
ABS-CBN issued the statement shortly after MTRCB announced its suspension of It's Showtime earlier that day.
According to the agency, it is suspending the show following multiple complaints that its hosts "acted in an indecent manner" during its "Isip Bata" segment.
During this particular scene, real-life couple Ion and Vice ate the icing of a cake using their fingers.
Ion began by licking the icing off his fingers with his eyes closed before approaching Vice, who took some of the icing from his fingers with her own before tasting it.
Six days later, on July 31, MTRCB issued a notice to appear and testify against It's Showtime's producers over Ion and Vice's alleged indecent acts.
In its statement regarding the show's suspension, MTRCB said that is giving the show's producers 15 days to file an MR.
The agency's decision comes over a decade after It's Showtime was placed on a 20-day preventive suspension in 2010 over controversial statements made by actress Rosanna Roces.
In an episode in January of that year, Roces said teachers are "just repeaters" merely teaching their students what they have read from books. She was later removed from the show, which went back on air on Jan. 18 that year following its suspension.