MANILA, Philippines?An online petition to ban Willie Revillame from television has been initiated by viewer Roel C. Saguisag, who addressed his protests to the ABS-CBN management, Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) and Philippine Association of National Advertisers (PANA).

The signature campaign was sparked by the TV host?s outburst over the insertion of footage from former president Corazon Aquino?s funeral cortege on his noontime variety show ?Wowowee.?

At press time, the petition has chalked up 11,978 supporters since going online on Wednesday.

On Monday, Revillame got upset after a video of the Aquino motorcade from La Salle Green Hills to Manila Cathedral was inserted in the game show.

The petition contained a full transcript of his on-air tirade, which read in part: ?Papa?no kami makapagsasaya? Nahihirapan kami . . . Pagkatapos ng show, ipakita n?yo ang gusto n?yong ipalabas (How can we have fun? We?re finding it difficult . . . After the show, you can air what you want to air).?

Inappropriate

In an exclusive phone interview with Inquirer Entertainment, Revillame explained that he felt it inappropriate to show the motorcade scenes on the same screen as a gyrating dancer. He said it looked like he was disrespecting the Aquino family in their time of bereavement.

?Nakakahiya. (It?s embarrassing.) Habang nagluluksa ang buong sambayanan, nagsasaya tayo. (It?s like we?re rejoicing while the entire nation is in mourning),? he said.

In his petition, Saguisag, noted: ?Some may argue that Willie?s intention was good, but I rather find [his] statements rude and arrogant... and disrespectful to former President Aquino. I know it was [in] bad taste for ABS-CBN to show a snippet of the funeral on ?Wowowee,? but it was [worse] that Revillame reacted that way.?

Production lapse

Cory Vidanes, the network?s Channel 2 head, told the Inquirer that the airing of the video was ?a lapse in production? that arose in the pursuit of a developing news. ?There was an internal communication problem. Willie... loves Tita Cory and wanted to honor her that day. [His outburst] was taken out of context,? said Vidanes.

Revillame confirmed this: ?Before we went live, I asked Linggit Tan (head of Entertainment Production) not to show Tita Cory?s coffin habang may giling-giling (in the middle of a dance portion).?

He was just doing his job, he insisted. ?I have an obligation to my viewers. Wala ba akong karapatang magalit sa staff ko? (Don?t I have the right to get mad at my staff?) If something goes wrong on the show, I?ll take the blame, right? The show is my responsibility.?

Confronted with his critics? accusation of arrogance, he was unruffled. ?This is the real me. What you see is what you get. I was just being honest,? he said.

Interestingly, Revillame recalled, that very episode of ?Wowowee? was a tribute to the late president. His opening number was dedicated to Aquino, who used to watch his show in the hospital.

?I?ve kept (Aquino?s daughter) Kris? text messages, telling me that her mom watched ?Wowowee.? I wanted to devote the entire Monday episode to Tita Cory,? he said.

?After the incident, management talked with Willie and the next day, he immediately apologized,? said Vidanes.

Videos of Revillame?s outburst and subsequent explanation were both posted on YouTube.

Bong Osorio, head of ABS-CBN?s corporate communications, told the Inquirer: ?I believe Willie... was able to explain his side appropriately.? Osorio added that the negative e-mail and text messages are opinions of individual viewers who have interpreted Revillame?s actions in different ways.

Movie deals off

The TV host agreed: ?Konting bagay, pinapalaki. Ang hirap ?atang mag-show araw-araw. (They?re just making a big deal out of it. It?s difficult to do a daily show.) After the Ultra tragedy, the ?Wilyonaryo? scandal and all the controversies in my personal life, I wouldn?t let a small mistake like that (the Monday incident) affect the show.?

Needless to say, he?s unperturbed by the online campaign. ?Okey lang sa akin ?yan. Kung ?di ko tinawag ang attention ng staff noong Lunes, baka mas malaking batikos pa ang natanggap ng ABS-CBN dahil sa pag-ere ng motorcade sabay ng dance number.?

He was due to address the issue on his show yesterday, Saturday, said Vidanes.

Meanwhile, Revillame said he could no longer do a scheduled movie with Kris Aquino for Star Cinema ?because of my heart ailment.? He said he also turned down a Viva Films comedy to be directed by Wenn V. Deramas.

But he is not quitting from ?Juan,? a movie top-billed by comedy king Dolphy?an entry in this year?s Metro Manila Film Festival. ?I will just do a cameo because ?Wowowee? plays an important part in the story.?

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