The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) has raised concerns that tend to malign the reputation of the bureau and its national penitentiaries in the popular television series "Batang Quiapo."

BuCor Deputy Director General for Administration Al I. Perreras sent a letter to to ABS-CBN network and the producers of "Batang Quiapo" with Coco Martin as the leading actor. 

In his letter, Perreras said that he "received insistent clamor from Bucor officials and employees themselves who had seen the program and called the attention on the misleading concepts about the bureau as portrayed in said television series and requested the people behind the show to immediately refrain from depicting scenes that malign the reputation of the agency and its employees.”

“While the show makes use of a different agency appellation, it cannot be helped but notice that the same makes a clear and undeniable reference to the National Penitentiary or the New Bilibid Prison which this Bureau represents and hence, may affect or influence the perceptions of the viewers about our agency,” Perreras also said in the letter. 

Although the television series has a disclaimer presented at the start of every episode, Perreras pointed out “we still take offense on the fact that due to the very close association, borne of said depictions, the same will be generally injurious to the image of the BuCor especially in these times that our Head, Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. is in the midst of an organizational cleansing to genuinely reform BuCor.”

The episodes cited by Perreras in his letter included those that came out on Sept. 22, 27, and Oct. 3 and 9:

• September 22 Episode Scene: PDL named "Bong," portrayed by Mr. Vandolph Quizon and actors playing as Officers conspired to kill a certain Congressman through the instruction of “Chief Espinas" played by Ms. Jacqueline Jose, portraying as the Head of the "Corrections Agency"
• September 27 Episode Scene: PDL Bong was already given an instruction and was ordered to kill the congressman
• October 03 Episode Scene: PDL Bong got out of the cell to execute the job with the knowledge of Chief Espinas
• October 09 Episode (Teaser) Scene: PDL "Tanggol" portrayed by Coco Martin was ordered to do the killing of the congressman, he will get out of his cell purportedly to carry out the task.

Perreras also also cited “scenes wherein actors posing as Corrections Officers were wearing uniforms that consistently identical to the uniforms being worn by BuCor Commissioned and Non-Commissioned officers.”

Upon receipt of the letter, Coco Martin, actor Mark Lapid and ABS-CBN chief operating officer Cory Vidanes made a courtesy call on Tuesday, Oct. 17, with BuCor Director General Catapang to assure that there was no intention to besmirch the bureau.

In a press statement, BuCor said Martin explained to Catapang: “Kaya po kami nandito ngayon para personal po na humingi ng paumanhin pero wala po kaming intensyon na manira or makasakit, wag po kayong mag alaala at lahat naman po ng yan ay binabalanse natin (We are here to personally apologize and assure that we have no intention to demean or hurt anyone. Do not worry we are trying to balance everything).”

“Lapid asked Bucor officials to at least give them until December to adjust,” BuCor said. 

For his part Catapang told his visitors: “I just hope that in the end and as always, good will triumph against evil. I look forward to seeing those characters who are playing villains in your series will be exposed and persecuted or redeem themselves to show to the public that crime does not pay and the long arm of the law will caught up for those who disregarded it.”