NCCA draws flak online after posing in 'Nazi-style' salute

The National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA) drew flak from netizens after a photo of its representatives doing what looks like a Nazi-style salute went viral online.

Posted last week, the now deleted photo was taken during the organization's online talk show "Padayon: The NCCA Hour" where the hosts feature Filipino artists and cultural trends.

In the photo, the hosts can be seen doing a hand gesture similar to Nazi Germany's "Heil Hitler."

Paging @NCCAOfficial what is happening with you? pic.twitter.com/Re8Zy1f4Xe

— Rhadem Musawah (@themuslimgayguy) January 24, 2021

After facing criticism, NCCA took to Twitter to explain that the gesture was intended for something else entirely.

"We would like to clear that the photos earlier released on the Padayon: The NCCA Hour gesture is a forward hand motion followed by a wave and accompanied by Padayon's tagline 'Sulong na!' As seen in most of our video teasers," NCCA said.

"We are in no way encouraging or harboring  Neo-Nazi beliefs /practices in the Commission. Following the comments on our earlier post, which we have already taken down, we will rethink of another hand gesture that better show[s] our intent of moving forward," they added.

We are in no way encouraging or harboring Neo-Nazi beliefs /practices in the Commission. Following the comments on our earlier post, which we have already taken down, we will rethink of another hand gesture that better show our intent of moving forward.

— NCCA PH (@NCCAOfficial) January 24, 2021

Besides, the gesture wasn't created just last week.

In the previous episodes of NCCA's online show, the hosts can already be seen doing the "Sulong Na!" salute wherein they do a forward hand gesture then transitions to a goodbye wave just before closing the show. See a clip from a video uploaded on YouTube last January 6.

Hitler was responsible for the massacre of millions of Jews during the Holocaust in Nazi Germany as World War II raged on. "Heil Hitler" was a required common address among Germans during his reign. The Holocaust was considered as one of the darkest period in human history. — Kaela Malig/LA, GMA News