TV5: No Minors on All Game Shows and Contests....For The Meantime

In an advisory sent to Showbiznest earlier tonight, TV5 said they will enforced "stricter guidelines on the appearance and performance of minors, particularly children, on all TV5 programs.

This decision is TV5's reaction to an ongoing probe of the Commission on Human Rights and the Movies and Television Review and Classification Board and a complaint from the Department of Social Welfare and Development on the alleged maltreatment of "Jan-Jan Suan" - a six-year-old contestant in the daily primetime program "Willing Willie."

In addition, the Kapatid network said all auditions and complaints regarding the stations programs will be supervised by TV5 Chief Legal Counsel Christine Ona as the network's Ombudsman.

Read TV5's full statement below:

Further to our public apology on March 28, 2011, we wish to reassure our viewers and the public that the Network has taken steps to prevent the occurrence of any similar incident in the future.

The Network is currently conducting a thorough investigation on the incident. The investigation is led by the Network’s Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Roberto V. Barreiro, and Chief Legal Counsel, Atty. Christine C. Ona.

In the meantime, and pending the results of the investigation, the Network has already taken the following measures:

Caused the preparation of stricter guidelines on the appearance and performance of minors, particularly children, on all TV5 programs.

Required that all “Willing Willie” auditions as well as auditions of other TV5 programs be supervised by TV5 representatives designated by the TV5 Ombudsman.

Appointed an internal Ombudsman to review any incidents of this nature and to whom any complaints may be referred for immediate disposition. The Network’s Chief Legal Counsel, Atty. Christine C. Ona, has been designated as the Network’s Ombudsman.

Imposed a moratorium on the participation of minors in all contests and game shows on TV5 until such time that the preceding measures are fully in place.

We welcome the hearings of the MTRCB and other bodies as opportunities to further thresh out the issues and find solutions that will address the many concerns that have been expressed. TV5 renews its commitment to responsible broadcasting and pledges to improve its programs as its way of thanking its viewers for their continued support and trust."