Malacañang supports the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board's (MTRCB) move of asking Netflix Inc. to yank from its list the episodes of “Pine Gap" that showed the inaccurate nine-dash line martime claim of China.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque had this to say Tuesday, Nov. 2 on the controversy generated by particular episodes of the political drama on the popular video streaming service.
"Suportado po iyan dahil ang MTRCB naman po ay under the Office of the President din mismo ‘no (Malacañang supports it because the MTRCB is itself under the Office of the President)," Roque said.
Moreover, he noted that the regulatory body's decision was based on the guidance of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
"Ang Department of Foreign Affairs naman po ang humingi sa MTRCB na huwag ipalabas ito sa ating bayan dahil ito nga po ay (It was the Department of Foreign Affairs that asked the MTRCB to halt the showing of the episodes in our country) based on very inaccurate myth and scope of the Chinese territory," the Palace mouthpiece said.
Netflix immediately complied with the ruling by pulling out the two episodes depicting China’s territory on Monday, Nov. 1.
Beijing uses the so-called nine-dash line to mark its territory in the South China Sea (SCS). The problem is, these imaginary line encompass practically the entire SCS, including islands and features within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
The Arbirtal Award received by the Philippines in 2016 stemming from the case it filed against China’s expansive territorial claims before the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) invalidated the nine-dash line.
The current administration under President Duterte is known to be very friendly toward China.
During the virtual 38th and 39th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summits and Related Summits last week, Duterte repeatedly brought up the topic of the Arbitral Award during his interventions in the regional bloc's meetings with its dialogue partners.
"Adherence to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 Arbitral Award is key to a rules-based order in the South China Sea," he said during ASEAN's dialogue with Australia.