‘Batang Quiapo’ cast visits BuCor

The executives and cast of the television series "Ang Batang Quiapo" paid a courtesy call yesterday to officials of the Bureau of Corrections after the latter protested numerous scenes being depicted in said series.

ABS-CBN chief operating officer Cory Vidanes, Mark Lapid and actor Coco Martin met with BuCor Officials and apologized to the Bureau but assured them that they do not intend to besmirch the reputation of the BuCor and its officials.

Lapid asked Bucor officials to at least give them until December to adjust.

Martin, for his part, told BuCor officials, "That is why we are here: To apologize and tell you that we have no intention of besmirching the reputation of agency as we will try to balance our presentation."

"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 catch up for those who disregard it," BuCor chief Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. pointed out.

Catapang said that the meeting was requested by executives and cast of "Ang Batang Quiapo" after the Bucor, through Deputy Director General for Administration, Atty. Al Perreras wrote them a letter that he received insistent clamor from Bucor officials and employees themselves who had seen the program and called their attention to the misleading concepts about the bureau as portrayed in said TV 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, which this Bureau represents and hence, may affect or influence the perceptions of the viewers about our agency, Perreras said.

Catapang also added that although there is a disclaimer at the start of the program, however, "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  Catapang Jr is in the midst of an organizational cleansing to genuinely reform BuCor."

The Bucor said there were numerous occasions wherein the agency find the storyline being depicted posed significant concerns on the part of the BuCor and there were insistent clamor from BuCor employees themselves who had seen them.

The BuCor cited the scenes involving a visual and perceptive representation of the national penitentiary, more particularly on the following:

• 22 September 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 the Head of the "Corrections Agency"
• 27 September Episode Scene: PDL Bong was already given an instruction and was ordered to kill the congressman
• 3 October Episode Scene: PDL Bong got out of the cell to execute the job with the knowledge of Chief Espinas
• 9 October 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.
• There are also scenes wherein actors posing as Corrections Officers were wearing uniforms that were consistently identical to the uniforms being worn by BuCor Commissioned and Non-Commissioned officers.