'He Tried To Get Me to Ban the Film'

Wednesday, Apr. 3, 2001 Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ignited a controversy when she recently banned a film depicting Manila's live sex shows. Arroyo said it was the government's role to act as the morality police and protect Philippine families. The ban prompted Nicanor Tiongson, the country's top censor, to quit in protest. A noted film critic and professor of Media Studies at Philippines University, Tiongson spoke to TIME's Tim McGirk. Edited excerpts:

You held the chief censor's job for just five short weeks. What happened?
It was all very confusing. I didn't particularly want the job, but it turns out that Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin put my name forward as a candidate. I think it was because I was once a seminarian, studying for priesthood. But it was very curious. Everybody knows I'm a liberal.

Did this worry you, that you were seen as the church's man?
Yes, it did. I wondered, 'Now what does he expect me to do?'

I guess you found out soon enough -- over "Live Show."
This was a film that was approved by the previous censor board. I couldn't really stop it from being shown.

What did you think of "Live Show?" Is it pornography?
Not at all. It shows the kind of desperation that drives people to become sex performers. If anyone gets titillated by this film, he must be sick. It's very depressing.

So you were summoned by the archbishop?
He tried to get me to ban the film. He berated me in the harshest language. He said that I was clearly ineffective and had no backbone. He then withdrew his support from me.

And after that you met with the president.
Yes, and I urged her to see the film, to judge for herself. She wanted "Live Show" withdrawn, and told me to do what I thought was best. So I resigned. I refuse to be an instrument to suppress the freedom of expression.

Is this the start of a new wave of censorship in the Philippines? They tried to ban "Schindler's List" and "The Bridges of Madison County" before.
I'm afraid so. I think we're seeing the beginning of a mad and indiscriminate suppression of any film with nudity or sex -- even if these give the film meaning and significance.