Erap supporters picket MTRCB over banned video biopic

Some 100 supporters of detained former President Joseph “Erap" Estrada on Thursday morning picketed the offices of government censors in Quezon City who had banned the showing of the ousted leader’s video documentary. "The MTRCB (Movie and Television Review and Classification Board) should stop harassing President Estrada and allow his documentary to be aired," GMA’s dzBB radio quoted Ronald Lumbao, head of the People’s Movement Against Poverty (PMAP). Although the Estrada camp had made the 57-minute available online on the website erap.ph, the PMAP leader argued that the masses who do not have Internet access have the right to watch it. "The MTRCB should allow the documentary to be shown so people will know the real score. There is nothing wrong if people see the real events behind his ouster," Lumbao said. The MTRCB on Monday slapped a final "X" rating on the Estrada documentary titled “To Live for the Masses", branding it “libelous" and containing “politically destabilizing" portions. Earlier, the MTRCB said that it would allow the airing of the documentary, but only if two-thirds of the documentary were cut, a suggestion that the Estrada's camp vehemently rejected. Estrada was elected President in 1998. His six-year term was cut short in January 2001 when he was ousted in the EDSA 2 people power uprising. He was arrested a few months later and has since been detained while facing plunder and perjury charges. -GMANews.TV