[In the news] De Lima sees violation of Anti-Child Abuse Law by Willie’s show | The Philippine Star News Headlines

De Lima sees violation of Anti-Child Abuse Law by Willie’s show | The Philippine Star News Headlines. MANILA, Philippines – Secretary Leila de Lima of the Department of Justice (DOJ) has weighed in on the growing outrage over Willie Revillame’s TV-5 game show that showed a six-year-old boy simulating a striptease for cash. “I’m a…

Human Rights Online Philippines

April 13, 2011

4–6 minutes

ABS–CBN Corporation, Atty Leila De Lima, Presenter, Procter & Gamble, Reality television, Television, Television program, Willie Revillame, Willing Willie

De Lima sees violation of Anti-Child Abuse Law by Willie’s show | The Philippine Star News Headlines.

justice-sec.-de-lima — DOJ Sec. Leila De Lima File photo: pinoymagazine.com

MANILA, Philippines – Secretary Leila de Lima of the Department of Justice (DOJ) has weighed in on the growing outrage over Willie Revillame’s TV-5 game show that showed a six-year-old boy simulating a striptease for cash.

“I’m a human rights advocate and that (incident) really falls under the child protection act,” De Lima told a press conference yesterday.

But the justice secretary, former chair of the Commission on Human Rights, refused to elaborate as she expects some groups to file a complaint before the DOJ in connection with the incident.

She explained that commenting further would make her sound as if she was already prejudging the case.

“The DOJ is just waiting for any complaint or affidavit that any group can file and we will act on it accordingly,” she said.

When asked which law she was referring to, De Lima cited Republic Act 7610 (Anti-Child Abuse Law).

Section 9 of the law provides that “any person who shall hire, employ, use, persuade, induce or coerce a child to perform in obscene exhibitions and indecent shows, whether live or in video, or model in obscene publications or pornographic materials or to sell or distribute the said materials shall suffer the penalty of prision mayor in its medium period.”

Revillame came under fire after the boy mimicked a striptease on the March 12 edition of the show, but he has denied wrongdoing and lashed out at his critics, hinting that he was a victim of political witch-hunt.

“Willing Willie” was pulled off the air Monday and Revillame said he was taking a two-week leave after which he will announce if he would return to television.

Angry viewers and commentators have launched a campaign on social-networking sites to remove Revillame from the show, which offers cash prizes for singing, dancing, storytelling and playing games.

They said the TV host showed poor taste and mocked his mostly impoverished viewers by allowing the crying boy to gyrate like a striptease dancer.

The young contestant, accompanied on the show by an aunt, earned P10,000 for his dance. The host and those watching live inside the studio applauded and cheered as the boy performed, but he appeared to have been crying because Revillame called a huge basketball player to the stage to watch as the boy danced.

Revillame is fair game

The outcry led major sponsors to pull out, including Procter & Gamble Co., Del Monte Pacific Ltd., Unilever and fast-food giant Jollibee Foods Corp.

The episode has prompted soul-searching discussions about the quality of TV entertainment in the country.

TV-5 said it wants to improve the program and work with television and advertising industry stakeholders on guidelines for the participation of children in all game and reality TV shows.

Theater actress Monique Wilson, in a widely circulated email carried by local media, argued that such TV shows “dumb down audiences (and) disempower them by creating a mendicant society with game shows that promise quick money.”

Government agencies, Catholic Church organizations and other celebrities also assailed Revillame, saying he had forced the child to perform an embarrassing dance even when he was already in tears.

TV-5 stood by its host, saying Revillame had not humiliated or coerced the boy as his critics claim. Even the father of the boy was quick to come to Revillame’s rescue, saying there was nothing wrong with the boy performing his act because he had been doing it even in school programs.

Revillame and TV-5 said the outrage was sparked by heavily edited scenes of the dance that were posted online to show Revillame in a bad light.

They added that other TV shows on rival channels had aired similar dance sequences involving children without complaint.

Revillame, who has already apologized for the incident, believes he was being singled out because he campaigned for a rival candidate who lost the 2010 election to President Aquino. He said his former network and competitor ABS-CBN television is destroying his career.

The highest-paid TV host in the country has ruffled feathers in the past for his often brash and cocky language and his untimely lewd jokes.

Legal battle to retain program

Three members of the adjudication board of the Movie and Television Review Board (MTRCB) inhibited themselves during the hearing of the case for their links with ABS-CBN.

Lawyer Leonard Rivera, legal counsel of Revillame, said the issue on the links of the MTRCB adjudication panel was raised during a hearing last week.

“How can we expect a fair hearing when all the board members have close links with ABS-CBN, which is the rival station of ABC 5?” he asked.

The members who inhibited were lawyer Eugenio Villareal, Eric Malonga, and Leah Navarro.

Meanwhile, Malacañang said it would support the formulation of a magna carta for children working in television to ensure their rights are protected, in answer to TV-5’s call for the setting up of guidelines on the participation of minors in television shows. – With Aurea Calica, Marvin Sy, Perseus Echeminada, AP