Locsin calls for DreamWorks boycott over 9-dash line scene in 'Abominable'
MANILA, Philippines — Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. called for a boycott and ban of animation studio DreamWorks and their productions in the country for a scene in their animated film "Abominable" depicting China's invalidated nine-dash line.
"For me call a universal boycott of all [DreamWorks] productions from here on," he said in a tweet late Tuesday.
"Abominable" drew flak due to a scene displaying China’s so-called nine-dash line leading to Vietnam pulling the movie from theaters on Monday after its release in the country.
The film was a joint production between DreamWorks and the Chinese-owned Pearl Studio, which is responsible for animated films such as "Kung Fu Panda 3" and "How to Train Your Dragon 2," among others. It opened in Philippine theaters on October 2.
"What about cutting out the offending scene which puts the censorial act in its proper context and make the cut obvious?" Locsin expounded.
In another tweet Wednesday, the Department of Foreign Affairs chief, also suggested cutting out the parts where the nine-dash line was shown.
"Of course they should cut out the offending scene which will show our displeasure better than if we unconstitutionally ban it as some suggest. Do cut out crudely. Maybe interject mtrcb head in cut out scene with a hectoring lecture. Then cartoon goes on," he said.
OF COURSE THEY SHOULD CUT OUT THE OFFENDING SCENE WHICH WILL SHOW OUR DISPLEASURE BETTER THAN IF WE UNCONSTITUTIONALLY BAN IT AS SOME SUGGEST. DO CUT OUT CRUDELY. MAYBE INTERJECT MTRCB HEAD IN CUT OUT SCENE WITH A HECTORING LECTURE. THEN CARTOON GOES ON. https://t.co/NWoEydnqJJ
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) October 16, 2019
The nine-dash line—also sometimes called the 10-dash line or 11-dash line—refers to the undefined, unilaterally-imposed demarcation line that China uses to justify its claim over virtually the entire South China Sea.
Manila at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague argued that the line exceeds the limits of maritime entitlements stipulated in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The court affirmed in 2016 the nine-dash line has no basis in international law.
However, Beijing has since refused to acknowledge the Hague ruling, refusing to even participate in the arbitration case.
For his part, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo refused to comment on the issue, leaving it up to the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board and the DFA.
“Depende siguro yan sa MTRCB kung ano ang assessment nila," he said. “I will leave that to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs. I’ll defer to him.”
- Latest
- Trending
