The Kapisanan ng mga Social Media Broadcasters ng Pilipinas (KSMBPI) has announced that it may consider withdrawing the criminal cases filed against Vice Ganda, Ion Perez, and vlogger Toni Fowler, on one condition — that they participate in the organization’s ‘West Philippine Sea’ (WPS) advocacy project.
This was revealed by KSMBPI founder Doc Mike Aragon during a media visit to their studio in Quezon City last September 30.
The cases were originally filed in connection with alleged inappropriate content shared by the celebrities. Vice Ganda and Ion Perez faced public scrutiny over their controversial “icing lick” scene on ‘It’s Showtime,’ which went viral on various social media platforms and led to the suspension of the show by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB). The organization filed charges, stating that the scene was inappropriate for children.
Similarly, Toni Fowler has been charged under the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 for her explicit ‘MPL’ music video, which KSMBPI described as offensive.
Attorney Mark Tolentino, KSMBPI’s legal counsel, mentioned that if convicted, the celebrities could face penalties ranging from 6 to 12 years of imprisonment. However, Doc Mike clarified that the charges could be dropped if the three join the ‘WPS’ digital series, an advocacy project that aims to raise awareness about China’s territorial incursions in the West Philippine Sea.
Doc Mike emphasized that the project is meant to awaken national consciousness about these critical issues, adding that they are open to a dialogue with Vice Ganda, Ion Perez, and Toni Fowler.
If the celebrities refuse, however, KSMBPI indicated they are prepared to pursue the case to the Supreme Court if necessary.
Meanwhile, the ‘WPS’ digital series is set to begin shooting on October 1, 2024, under the direction of Karlo Montero, with a cast led by AJ Raval, Aljur Abrenica, and other notable actors.
