Screenwriter Ricky Lee, two other MMFF committee members resign

Three members of the Metro Manila Film Festival executive committee have handed in their resignations following the official announcement of the first four entries selected for this year's Main Competition.

Acclaimed screenwriter Ricky Lee and the former Dean of the University of the Philippines' College of Mass Communication Rolando Tolentino have confirmed the news shared by Erik Matti on social media.

Journalist and documentary producer Kara Magsanoc Alikpala has reportedly resigned as well.

Lee took to Facebook early Sunday to explain his decision to leave the committee.

"Noong una pa man nang pumayag akong sumali, nag-decide na ako na mag-i-stay lang ako kung ipagpapatuloy nito ang nasimulan nang reforms ng 2016," he shared.

"Sa nagiging takbo ng mga pangyayari ngayon ay mukhang malabo na iyong mangyari. Kaya wala na ring dahilan para mag-stay pa ako."

The executive committee on Friday released the list of official entries.

Films featuring Vice Ganda and Vic Sotto were back in the lineup—"The Revengers" and "Love Traps #Family Goals," respectively—along with a "Panday" remake or reboot and the romantic comedy "Almost Is Not Enough."

READ: Vic Sotto, Vice Ganda starrers back in Metro Manila Film Fest

Tolentino on Twitter said that discussing his resignation would break a confidentiality clause. Nevertheless, he said that, "The results of the script selection speak for itself."

Mga mads, may confidentiality clause sa MMFF. Don't ask me to explain. The results of the script selection speak for itself.

— rolando tolentino (@rolandtolentino) July 1, 2017

Earlier this year, Tolentino said that there would be no distinctions made between mainstream and independent movies in the selection process for this year's festival, simply that the films chosen must "come with artistic merit and [have] to come with a certain kind of popular appeal."

In another tweet on Sunday, however, he declared, "Patunay ang MMFF script selections na walang interes burahin ang indie at mainstream distinksyon. Ang nabura, ang indie."

On Sunday, he shared a photo of a folder bearing his official designation in the committee and said, "Wala naman pala sa rules, nasa implementasyon ang mapagpasya."

Thought balloon sa 2017 MMFF script choices: wala naman pala sa rules, nasa implementasyon ang mapagpasya pic.twitter.com/myu68m0HPK

— rolando tolentino (@rolandtolentino) July 2, 2017

The MMFF execom and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority have yet to release a statement regarding the resignations. — BM, GMA News