Court says Willie Revillame 'insensitive,' upholds show suspension

MANILA, Philippines - The Court of Appeals (CA) ruled in favor of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) that suspended TV5's noontime game show Willing Willie in 2011 over an "obscene" segment.

Associated Justice Manuel Barrios of the appellate court's 2nd Division said in an 11-page decision issued late Thursday that the contested episode that showed a young boy  dancing in a raunchy manner while crying was enough material for MTRCB to suspend the popular show for one month.

"A review of the recording of that segment shows a 6-year old boy gyrating like a macho dancer while being cajoled and goaded by the show's host and the audience ... is commonly perceived as transpiring only in night clubs and other shadowy establishments," the decision stated.

The court also called the show host Willie Revillame "insensitive" in encouraging the boy to continue with the performance in exchange for a monetary reward.

"While money has great utility and is beneficial in these times of want, it must never be used as justification to sacrifice good morals, decency, self respect and the psychological well-being of its citizens especially the young," it added.

MTRCB Chairman Eugenio Villareal welcomed the court's  decision on Thursday night, saying he hopes the ruling "be instructive" to the television industry.

"May this  ... allow the television industry, especially those more directly concerned, to move on and help build an entertainment culture that is truly audience-sensitive and particularly looking out for the welfare of our young," Villareal said in a statement.

MTRCB earlier said in the original suspension ruling that the show "violated a law against immoral and indecent broadcasts that run counter to Filipino values."

The show first faced a 30-day suspension in 2011 sanctioned by then MTRCB chairperson Grace Poe Llamanzares following complaints of children's rights advocates.

The board has deemed Revillame's noontime shows several times in the past even while airing over ABS-CBN to be violative of similar broadcast rules.