Palace hits US show’s negative portrayal of PHL president

Malacañang on Tuesday twitted an American television series that negatively depicted a Philippine president and said that the show should have instead used a fictional US president. (PCOO photo)

MANILA—Malacañang on Tuesday twitted an American television series that negatively depicted a Philippine president and said that the show should have instead used a fictional US president.

“I think they are confusing their images. I think they are projecting something that they really would like to say about their own situation. Really, I think they should use a fictional US president,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said during a Palace briefing.

The Palace official was referring to a CBS network’s TV series titled Madam Secretary.

Based on the show’s trailer posted on Youtube, fictional new Filipino President Datu Andrada was punched after making inappropriate advances towards lead character US Secretary of State Elizabeth McCord.

In the US, President Donald Trump has been criticized for his remarks and inappropriate advances against women.

However, Abella did not make a categorical comment when pressed if the Palace found the show’s trailer insulting.

“Well, they engage in something that they would like to… It’s their business. It’s their craft. You cannot deny them their craft. Their taste, perhaps,” Abella said.

The Philippine Embassy in Washington has already written to CBS Corporation to strongly protest the negative depiction.

“While Madam Secretary is a work of fiction, it tracks and mirrors current events. It is, therefore, inevitable that its depiction of world leaders will have an impact on how its audience views the real personages and the countries they represent,” the embassy wrote.

Network officials and producers of the show have yet to comment on the issue.