MANILA, Philippines — “Tatsulok” director Jhonny Bobier has denied any involvement in the alleged falsification of a Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) Permit to Exhibit (PTE) linked to his political film, saying he did not create, secure or knowingly submit the document.
“I had nothing to do with that alleged fake MTRCB permit. I do not know where it came from,” Bobier said in a video statement.
His statement comes after the MTRCB warned the filmmaker behind “Tatsulok” over a falsified PTE linked to the film and its production company, TanaJuan Pelikula Production.
The MTRCB previously said “Tatsulok” did not undergo its review and classification process and had no valid PTE when it was screened during its Aug. 21 premiere.
Bobier said he initially remained silent while trying to determine how the alleged fake permit became associated with the film.
“At first, I chose to remain silent because I was trying to understand what really happened. I thought at that time they were asking about a lack of permit where we didn't provide any permit,” he said.
“I was also trying to determine who, among those people I consulted about the administrative side of this matter, and who, from the side of Gateway Cineplex, was actually responsible for the circumstances that led to this situation.”
According to Bobier, arranging the Aug. 21 premiere was his first time personally handling the requirements for a screening at Gateway Cineplex. He said his previous screenings had been processed through the film festival organization he was part of.
“So I admit that this entire process was new to me. The person I relied on for the information about the cinema's requirements and process was the Gateway Cineplex representative who handled our agreement,” Bobier said.
He said he first approached Gateway Cineplex in July about renting a cinema for the Aug. 21 premiere and an Aug. 29 public screening. Bobier said he asked specifically about the requirements for the premiere, which he described as a by invitation only event for family, friends, filmmakers and members of the media.
“The only requirements that were mentioned to me at the time was the downpayment. At that point, I was not required to provide an MTRCB permit for August 21 because the actual public screening was scheduled on August 29,” he said.
Bobier said he understood that the MTRCB permit would be needed for the Aug. 29 public screening and that he relied on the cinema to inform him of the requirements for the premiere.
“If it was a requirement for the event, the cinema should have informed us before allowing the arrangement to proceed. Nevertheless, we still planned to secure an MTRCB permit for the August 29 public screening,” he said.
He said he repeatedly contacted Gateway Cineplex for confirmation of the screening schedule but did not receive a response until Aug. 17, four days before the premiere.
Bobier said he eventually traveled from Zambales to Gateway Cineplex in Cubao to personally confirm the arrangements. He said the cinema then provided a letter of agreement covering the arrangement between him as the director of “Tatsulok” and the cinema under Uniprom Inc.
He also said he settled the full rental fee for the premiere that day, but the permit requirement was still not raised.
On Aug. 21, Bobier said he arrived at the venue around 9 a.m. and personally coordinated preparations for the premiere, including the carpet, chairs, lights and other arrangements.
“From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., nobody asked me about the MTRCB permit or even raised any issue about any permit for the poster or even for the event,” he said. “The red carpet had already been completed. The show had started.”
The issue, he said, was raised only when guests were already inside the cinema waiting for the film.
“Our guests were already inside the cinema, waiting for the film to be shown. Then suddenly, they approached us, asking for a permit. When I spoke to them, I was told that the film screening will be shut down if we did not have an MTRCB permit,” Bobier said.
Bobier acknowledged that he did not have an MTRCB permit for the Aug. 21 premiere but maintained that he knew nothing about the alleged falsified document.
“As for the allegation that I submitted a supposed fake MTRCB permit, I did not know anything about it. What I told them is stopping the screening at that point would not be possible without seriously affecting the event,” he said.
The film was eventually screened. Bobier described the premiere as successful, saying the audience watched the film, participated in the talkback and stayed for photographs.
The controversy started after Gateway Cineplex issued a statement saying it was not associated with TanaJuan Pelikula and its planned public screening of “Tatsulok.”
Bobier questioned why the permit issue was raised only at the last minute.
“Considering that this movie house regularly screens films, they should have warned us about this requirement from the very beginning, or at the very least, insisted that it must be secured before accepting the screening and allowing us to proceed with all the preparations,” he said.
“Gateway Cineplex management had every opportunity to inform us beforehand but they chose to raise this issue only at the very last moment. If the MTRCB permit was an absolute requirement for a premiere, we should have been informed before accepting.”
Bobier said he has consulted a lawyer and is pursuing the matter through the proper channels.
“This statement is not an attempt to escape due process. It is the opposite. I am asking for due process. We are now coordinating these allegations through the proper channels. We are still investigating the circumstances surrounding what happened and trying to understand the intention and the origin of all the allegations being made against my film,” he said.
He reiterated his denial in closing, saying, “I did not know anything about this alleged fake MTRCB permit for August 21. I did not create one. I did not secure one. And I did not knowingly submit one.”
The MTRCB earlier said it was pursuing the appropriate proceedings against TanaJuan Pelikula Production, subject to due process. The agency also reminded filmmakers and producers to comply with its review and classification requirements and urged cinemas to independently verify PTEs before allowing films to be screened.
Despite the controversy, Bobier said he intends to continue making political films.
“I will not stop making political films. I became a filmmaker to tell stories, political stories, stories about what we experience, stories about injustice, stories about corruption, stories about the system that failed us,” he said.
“‘Tatsulok’” was written and directed by Bobier and stars Emilio Gatialco, Kian Vicente, Vean Cancino, Abelle Manalansan, Russ Mesia and Earl Quintana, among others.
