MTRCB lifts Tulfo brothers' TV program suspension 

The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board on Wednesday lifted a preventive suspension on a televison program of the brothers of columnist Ramon Tulfo, after getting a promise they would "behave."

 

MTRCB spokesman Eugenio Villareal said the decision was based on TV5's promise there will be no repeat of the incident in the show's May 7 episode, radio dzBB's Cecilia Villarosa reported.

 

With the lifting of the suspension, the program "T3" may air again Thursday evening. MTRCB and TV5 lawyers worked out their agreement and got the nod of Court of Appeals Presiding Justice Andres Reyes and CA first division Justices Sesinando Villion and Amy Javier.   The first division dismissed the TV5 petition for a temporary restraining order against the MTRCB suspension as the agreement rendered the TRO moot and academic.   However, the court will still decide on the merits of the petition for review or certiorari.   TV5 contends that the suspension was unconstitutional and a form of prior restraint of the freedom of expression.

 

Last week, the MTRCB slapped a 20-day preventive suspension on the program, three days after the Tulfo brothers made alleged threats against actor Raymart Santiago and wife Claudine Barretto.

 

In a separate news release, the MTRCB said TV5 had vowed "not to repeat violation in this regard, under pain of sanction from both the Court of Appeals and MTRCB." The MTRCB said it will continue with the case which will be due for decision by May 21.

 

The MTRCB's preventive suspension stemmed from the show's May 7 episode where the hosts allegedly threatened Santiago and Barretto.

 

Santiago and Ramon Tulfo brawled at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 last May 6 after Tulfo was seen taking footage of Barretto scolding a ground crew of Cebu Pacific over the offloading of their baggage from Boracay.

 

Santiago claimed Tulfo punched him when he tried to approach him, but Tulfo claimed Santiago and some companions ganged up on him.

 

Both sides have taken their fight to the legal arena. — ELR, GMA News