The social media accounts of Cinema Centenario were perceived to throw a shade at Toni Gonzaga, who recently drew flak for her interview with former senator and defeated vice presidential candidate Bongbong Marcos on her YouTube vlog.
The television host trended on Tuesday after she uploaded the latest episode of her “Toni Talks” titled “The Greatest Lesson Bongbong Marcos Learned From His Father.”
The video description of it reads: “Happy Birthday Sir Bongbong Marcos! We are grateful to be given the opportunity to hear your story.”
It was uploaded a day after the birthdate of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, Bongbong’s father.
The video immediately earned criticisms from some social media users who reminded Toni of the atrocities experienced by Filipinos when his father placed the country under Martial Law for 14 years.
“Report the video as misleading. I mean, the worst parts of the old Marcos was Martial Law, lawless killings, corruption, HR (human rights) violations and many more,” a Twitter user said.
“Did Toni tried to humanize BBM (Bongbong Marcos) through her interview? Well, it obviously did not work. Why? Because at the end of the day, what I still remember are the billions of pesos stolen from the Filipino people by Ferdinand Marcos and the Martial Law!” a different Filipino tweeted.
“It’s saddening that we’re giving space for historical revisionism as the 49th year since Martial Law nears. As much as I like the 2022 Toni Talks series, this is plain disrespect to the innocent victims during the Marcos regime. #NoToHistoricalRevisionism,” wrote another Twitter user.
The criticisms were not limited to personal accounts.
Cinema Centenario on Tuesday also posted a screengrab from the 2013 family movie “Four Sisters and a Wedding” where Bea Alonzo’s character, Bobbie, scolds the character of Toni Gonzaga, Teddie.
Its account shared a line from Bobbie and an accompanying screengrab of the scene.
“Ang t*nga lang,” Bea’s character said with raised hands.
The post amused some Twitter users who called it a “shade” amid Toni’s viral interview with Bongbong.
“I see what you did there,” an online user wrote in response to the post.
Its Facebook account also shared a line from Toni’s character in the 2014 romance film “Starting Over Again” where she was venting out to her friend about her love woes.
The post was uploaded the same day when Toni’s interview trended.
It has gained 1,5000 laughing reactions and more than 300 shares on the social networking platform so far.
“Oi, ang lilim. (The shade),” a Facebook user commented.
“Siguro Ginny, kung hindi mo ginagawang guest si BBM magkaka-simpatiya pa ako sa’yo,” wrote another online user in response to the post.
Apart from Bongbong, Toni has previously featured human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, whose father was detained when the elder Marcos declared Martial Law.
The television host also interviewed Vice President Leni Robredo, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar and Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade before.
Toni’s video was uploaded a week before the 49th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law in the country.
The period saw the curtailment of civil liberties, extrajudicial killings and unsolved disappearances, media oppression and economic recession, among others.
It resulted in an “era of impunity” where activists, human rights defenders and civilians were arrested amid the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus by emboldened uniformed personnel.
London-based human rights organization Amnesty International said that “some 70,000 people were imprisoned and 34,000 were tortured; over 3,200 people were killed” from 1972 to 1981, during the years that Martial Law was imposed.
