House panel seeks audit of MMFF funds

MANILA, Philippines – The House panel investigating controversies in last year’s Metro Manila Film Festival yesterday sought an audit of MMFF funds.

During the first hearing of the House committee on Metro Manila development, chaired by Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo, lawmakers uncovered possible irregularities committed by MMFF officials in disqualifying the film Honor Thy Father.

The inquiry was prompted by a resolution filed by Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez, who appeared in the film, asking the panel to look into the disqualification of Honor Thy Father from the Best Picture category in the MMFF awards.

Castelo said lawmakers would investigate the ticket-swapping incidents, lack of transparency in the screening of entries and alleged misuse of MMFF funds.

“We will have to look into how the proceeds from the film festival are spent,” he said.

Fernandez and Representatives Lito Atienza of Buhay party-list and Anthony del Rosario of Davao del Norte hit Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Emerson Carlos, who chaired the MMFF executive commitee, for claiming that the MMFF funds are not taxpayers’ money and therefore are not subject to government audit.

The MMFF is funded by amusement taxes imposed by local government units that are not collected during the duration of the festival from Dec. 25 to Jan. 5.

Carlos told the hearing that the funds are considered donations and not public funds.

The lawmakers said Carlos was twisting the meaning of public funds to suit his ends and possibly try to evade scrutiny by the Commission on Audit (COA).

“Just because it is donated by the (local government) does not change the nature of the funds, it remains a public fund; all public funds are subject to COA,” Del Rosario said.

Erik Matti, director of Honor Thy Father, urged the House panel to audit MMFF funds.

“The issue of MMFF is all about money. Congress should trace the flow of money from the ticket sales, to the producers and its beneficiaries.  The MMFF should open itself to audit, not just this year but in the past years,” Matti said.