Top rating action drama ‘FPJ’s Batang Quiapo,’ led by star and director Coco Martin, is under scrutiny from viewers and social media users who are increasingly uncomfortable with the show’s portrayal of female characters.
The ABS-CBN series, which has been a hit among audiences, has drawn criticism for its recurring use of sexual violence as a plot device.
On social media platform X (formerly Twitter), users expressed their concerns about how the show has handled the storylines of characters like Marites (Miles Ocampo), Bubbles (Ivana Alawi), Camille (Yukii Takahashi), and Katherine (Ara Davao).
The controversy began when the series premiered in February last year, featuring a disturbing scene where the young Marites is raped by the character Ramon, initially portrayed by Coco Martin and later by Christopher de Leon. The assault results in Marites, later portrayed by Cherry Pie Picache, giving birth to Tanggol (Coco Martin), the show’s main character.
The show continued to depict troubling scenes involving its female characters. Camille, played by Yuuki Takahashi, was assaulted by her husband David (McCoy de Leon) despite being heavily pregnant. Camille eventually exited the show without any resolution or justice, and David moved on to marry Katherine (Ara Davao), whom he also abused on their honeymoon.
Jusko @ABSCBN‘s #batangquiapo‘s creative team, 2024 na paurong parin ang mindset. STOP villainizing women. STOP using misogyny, sexual assault, and adultery as a plot device. Sa panahon ngayon, women can win. Hindi lang po kami side props para i-flash ang malalaki naming dibdib.
— Philomena Cunk (@alysassygirl) August 23, 2024
These portrayals have sparked outrage among viewers.
me lang ba nakakapansin na halos pare-parehas lang nangyayari sa mga babaeng characters sa batang quiapo. Nakakadiri kasi ganon na lang nang ganon yung ginagawa sa kanila. Rape=Patay. I mean it’s only a show but??????? Ganon na lang ba role ng mga babae sa batang quiapo
— reux (@levreux_) August 23, 2024
Another user criticized the repetitive use of such violence.
Too much na yung r@pe scene sa Batang Quiapo. Halos lahat nalang ng babaeng character nar@pe. Si Marites, si Mokang, si Camille, si Bubbles tas ngayon si Katherine. Sino susunod? Si Madonna at Tisay? Jusko. Lubayan nyo na yan.
— Ⓜ️ (@IcedMACKYato) August 23, 2024
The backlash has led to calls for the show’s creators to reconsider their narrative choices.
I hope that Batang Quiapo would go back to the drawing board and start recalibrating itself because all of these abuse, rape, and sex scenes are starting to become very gratuitous.
Its getting a little too heavy handed, to be honest. pic.twitter.com/TemoiDX6iw
— Nel (@gonklon) August 24, 2024
Research and advocacy groups have long warned about the effects of depicting sexual violence in media. A study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology highlighted how repeated exposure to such content can desensitize viewers and diminish their empathy for real-life victims.
RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), a leading anti-sexual violence organization, also cautions that media portrayals of sexual violence can trigger negative reactions in survivors, ranging from flashbacks to feelings of anxiety or sadness.
As ‘FPJ’s Batang Quiapo’ continues its run, many viewers are urging the production team to be more mindful of the impact their storytelling has on audiences, particularly in how they represent and handle female characters.
