Viewers free to judge ‘AMO’ for themselves — Netflix

Online streaming service and entertainment company Netflix on Thursday responded to criticisms about Brillante Mendoza's "AMO."

A representative from the company issued a letter to the press saying, "We understand that viewers may have opposing opinions but leave it to them to decide."

They stressed that they offer their audience a "diverse choice" and that viewers are free to decide on "what, where, and when they want to watch."

GMA News Online received a similar statement from the company's local counterpart.

"AMO" premiered locally in 2017 and was chosen along with Mikhail Red's "Birdshot" in March 2018 as the first two Filipino titles to be aired globally by Netflix.

An online petition under the name of Luzviminda Siapo, mother of a slain teen with club feet, was launched in response to Netflix's choice. 

Read: Mother of slain teen with club feet petitioning to have ‘Amo’ removed from Netflix.

"Now that AMO, a show about the war on drugs in the Philippines, is to be screened on Netflix, I am deeply concerned," Siapo wrote, "According to its director Brillante Mendoza, the war on drugs is necessary in the Philippines and other countries having problems with illegal drugs."

Mendoza in an interview with The Telegraph denied that the mini-series "glorifes" the war on drugs and on April 9 stated via Twitter, "The Filipino audience has to look beyond what the pictures show. At the end of the day, it is not about being controversial, but simply being truthful about the issues that surround us. We have to acknowledge that there are problems going on and face reality."

The Filipino audience has to look beyond what the pictures show. At the end of the day, it is not about being controversial, but simply being truthful about the issues that surround us. We have to acknowledge that there are problems going on and face reality. pic.twitter.com/mIh2CaUgoK

— Brillante Mendoza (@brillante_ma) April 9, 2018

Robert Roy, Vice President of Content Acquisition at Netflix, in an interview with Variety in March expressed their enthusiasm in acquiring a "bold" show. 

“AMO is a bold and suspenseful show that has the potential of capturing thrill-seeking audiences worldwide,” he said. — Aya Tantiangco, GMA News