MTRCB summons ‘It's Showtime’ producers over Vice Ganda skit

The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) has ordered the producers of the noontime show “It’s Showtime” to appear before a hearing following multiple complaints over remarks made by host Vice Ganda during the program’s July 24 episode.

On Tuesday, July 28, the MTRCB issued a two-page summons signed by Chairperson and CEO Lala Sotto, directing the show’s producers, through their authorized representatives or legal counsel, to appear before the MTRCB Hearing and Adjudication Committee at the MTRCB Building on Wednesday, July 29.

The Board instructed representatives of GMA Network Inc. and ABS-CBN Corporation to attend the hearing.

According to the MTRCB’s official statement, the complaints stemmed from an incident during the "Memerimar" portion of the "Laro Laro Pick" segment. In the skit, Vice Ganda’s character, Memerimar, spat water on the face of Baby Dolls member Johaira as a surprised reaction before saying, “Anong nangyari sa’yo? Bakit nag-putik ka?” (What happened to you? Why did you become muddy?) The remark drew criticism from netizens, who viewed it as racially insensitive and colorist because it appeared to reference Johaira’s darker complexion.

The complaints also cited the now-viral "lugaw" scene involving Vice Ganda and his co-host and real-life partner, Ion Perez. Vice Ganda publicly apologized on July 25 for the jokes made during the July 24 episode of It’s Showtime.

The MTRCB said the viewer complaints, together with findings from its Monitoring and Inspection Unit (MIU), prompted the agency to determine whether the program complied with Section 3(c) of Presidential Decree No. 1986, which prohibits the exhibition of television programs that are "contrary to law, good customs, public order, public morals, or are otherwise objectionable."

The show's producers were also ordered to submit, on or before the scheduled hearing, the original proof of authority authorizing their representatives to appear before the committee. The MTRCB warned that failure to appear at the hearing would be considered a waiver of their right to present evidence, and the case would instead be resolved based on the records and evidence already available to the Board.