Nilinaw ng Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) nitong Biyernes na hindi rejected or denied review ang pelikulang "Lost Sabungeros: The Complete Story," na naglabas ng bagong trailer nito. May reaksyon naman tungkol dito si Nessa Valdellon, ang Senior Vice President ng GMA Public Affairs.

Sa trailer, sinabi ng pelikula na ito ay “twice denied review” ng MTRCB, na matatandaan din na kinansela ang premiere sa Cinemalaya dahil sa “security concerns.” Kaya naman inilagay din sa trailer ang mga katagang “never-before-seen footage” at “new revelations.”

Ngunit sa pahayag ng MTRCB, nilinaw nito na ang pelikula ay hindi rejected o denied review.

“Instead, the producers were asked to submit the documentary requirements needed for the Board to properly evaluate the film. One of these requirements was a certification confirming that the subject matter of the material is not the subject of any pending case before the courts,” saad ng board.

Ayon pa sa MTRCB, kailangang sumunod sa sub-judice rule na ipinagbabawal ang “public discussion or presentation of matters that are currently under judicial consideration.”

Binanggit din sa pahayag ang Presidential Decree No. 1986, na binibigyang kapangyarihan ang MTRCB na tiyaking sumusunod sa mga batas ang mga pelikula. Sa ilalim ng Section 3(c) paragraph vii, inaatasan ang board na, “to approve or disapprove… those which may constitute contempt of court or of any quasi-judicial tribunal, or pertain to matters which are sub-judice in nature.”

Ayon pa sa board, bigo umanong maisumite ng “Lost Sabungeros” ang mga hinihinging sertipikasyon.

“In fact, in a letter dated Feb. 12, 2026, to the MTRCB, Lost Sabungeros director Kristoffer J. Brazil acknowledged the Board’s requirement for such certification.”

Hangga’t hindi pa naisusumite ang mga kinakailangang dokumento, sinabi ng MTRCB na hindi nito maaaring ituloy ang review process.

“It is therefore incorrect to state that the MTRCB twice denied review of the film," sabi nito.

Bilang tugon, nag-post sa Facebook si Nessa Valdellon, Senior Vice President ng GMA Public Affairs, at sinabing iginagalang ng kompanya ng pelikula ang board ngunit naninindigan ito sa kanilang naging karanasan.

“I truly have no wish to be disrespectful nor answer via a statement through our public sites. Would just like to remind you that your very own office sent out communications to us last February with this specific line: ‘The Board finds no sufficient basis to disturb or reconsider its prior determination in DECLINING TO REVIEW AND CLASSIFY the above mentioned film."

“From your own words, you declined to review 'The Lost Sabungeros' a second time. We are going the school route so that more people can see the new/complete version of the documentary. Thank you.”

Sa kaniyang post sa Facebook, isinama ni Valdellon ang isang liham mula sa board na may petsang Pebrero 19, 2026, na isinasaad na matapos repasuhin ang apela ng GMA Pictures para sa pagsusuri, natuklasan ng MTRCB na “no sufficient basis to disturb or reconsider its prior determination in declining to review and classify the above-mentioned film,” at binanggit angsub judice nature ng dokumentaryo sa ilalim ng Presidential Decree No. 1986.

Binigyang-diin sa liham na maaari lamang magkaroon ng konsiderasyon sa desisyon kapag naisumite ang Certification of No Pending Case, at kung wala ito, napipilitan ang board na tanggihan ang apela para sa pagsusuri at klasipikasyon.

Noong 2024, ipinagpaliban ng MTRCB ang pagsusuri para sa documentary film.

Ipalalabas dapat ang pelikula sa Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival 2024, ngunit nakansela ang screening nito.

Kalaunan, ipinalabas ito sa QCinema International Film Festival sa parehong taon.

--Jamil Santos/FRJ GMA Integrated News