
By Gabriela Baron
Producers of TV show “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo” issued a public apology over its portrayal of Muslim characters.
The show was earlier called out by Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Ziaur-Rahman Alonto Adiong over its depiction of Muslim characters as “harboring and condoning theft, under the pretext of using stolen goods to help others” in the series.
Meanwhile, the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board said it notified the networks concerned to ensure that depictions of Filipino Muslims in their programs “honor the culture, society, and special values of Islam and the Filipino community.”
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In a statement released Feb. 17, Dreamscape Entertainment apologized to the Filipino Muslime community who were “hurt” in a scene from the series that aired Feb. 14.
“Nauunawaan namin ang mga nagpahayag ng opinyon at damdamin tungkol dito at sinisiguro namin na walang masamang intensyon ang programa na diskriminahin, saktan, o ilarawan ang ating mga kababayang Muslim sa negatibong paraan,” Dreamscape said.
“Nangangako rin kaming maging sensitibo sa paghahatid namin ng kwento ni Tanggol at ng kanyang komunidad sa teleserye,” it added.
“FPJ’s Batang Quiapo” is the adaptation of 1986 action film starring Fernando Poe Jr.