Photo courtesy from Alipato at Muog Page

Director JL Burgos and executive producer Mona Nieva are taking a stand for their documentary film, Alipato at Muog, which delves into the mysterious disappearance of Burgos's brother, Jonas Burgos. Recently, the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) slapped the film with an 'X' rating, declaring it "NOT SUITABLE FOR PUBLIC VIEWING" and citing concerns that the film might "undermine the faith and confidence of the people in their government and/or duly-constituted authorities."

But Burgos and Nieva aren’t backing down. They've filed an appeal for a second review, seeking to overturn the MTRCB's decision. In their social media update, they laid out the main reasons behind their appeal:

1. Ongoing Case Confusion: One of the reviewers reached out to contacts in the Court of Appeals to check on the status of the case, which remains active. Burgos and Nieva argue that this shouldn’t be a reason for censorship.

2. Fairness Concerns: Reviewers suggested the documentary should have included decisions from the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals to ensure fairness, a point Burgos and Nieva dispute as unnecessary for the film's purpose.

3. Subversiveness Claims: The MTRCB cited vague accusations of "subversiveness" without providing specific details, raising questions about the basis for these claims.

4. Political Overtones: The board flagged the film’s call for justice as having a “leftist” tone, suggesting it might be seen as promoting a political agenda rather than a pursuit of truth.

Despite the rating, Alipato at Muog will be screened at the UPFI Film Center on August 29 and 30. Burgos and Nieva hope that by bringing these issues to light, they can get the film reclassified and spark a broader discussion on freedom of expression and the role of documentary filmmaking in addressing unresolved issues.