MANILA, Philippines - The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) summoned GMA 7 news anchor Arnold Clavio for spouting "rude language" on his morning show Unang Hirit.
The board found Clavio's behavior offensive to children while interviewing Alfredo Villamor, detained businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles' legal counsel .
"MTRCB to hear matter of alleged rude language in 5 Nov Unang Hirit episode this Monday am," it said on its Twitter account on Friday, calling for a meeting with the show's executives.
Clavio has also earned jeers from netizens and from media watchdogs for the interview, by which he slams Villamor for a confusing exchange and ruining his day.
Napanuod ko yung interview ni Arnold clavio Kay atty. villamor ang bastos. very disappointed about the way he interview atty. villamor.
— John Lloyd Cruz (@XTianoRamirez) November 6, 2013
"Unethical and unprofessional" JEERS TO GMA-7’s Arnold Clavio. http://t.co/SWPh6ge08C #PJRReports
— CMFR (@cmfr) November 6, 2013
MTRCB, reminding the show of its parental guidance rating, asked its producers to "wear the parent's hat" in hearing the board's officials in the conference.
"Per MTRCB records Unang Hirit is a public affairs program and has a PG rating ... Young people are part of its audience," the ratings body added.
Media watchdog Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) also criticized Clavio for his conduct as a public affairs personality.
"An interview is in the first place meant to solicit information and opinion from the interviewee, not an occasion for the interviewer to insist on his own views, much less berate the interviewee, who, in this instance, was moved by the ethics of the legal profession not to comment on a case other lawyers are presumably involved in," CMFR wrote in a November 6 post on its website.
CMFR had previously berated Clavio for his "racist" remarks against the Azkals also made in Unang Hirit.
In a statement issued following the flak, Clavio admitted that he "went beyond (his) limitations" in speaking with Villamor over the phone.
"Sa sidhi kong malaman ang balita, inaamin ko po na lumampas ako sa aking limitasyon at humihingi ako ng unawa kung may nasabi man ako na wala sa lugar," the veteran journalist said.