2 senators slam depiction of China’s infamous nine-dash line in ‘Barbie’ movie

MANILA, Philippines — Two senators on Tuesday blasted the depiction of China’s contentious nine-dash line in the highly-anticipated motion picture “Barbie.”

In a statement issued Tuesday, Senator Francis Tolentino, who currently sits as the vice chairman of the Senate committee on foreign relations, said if the nine-dash line was indeed depicted in the movie, then the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) should ban it, stressing that this act “denigrates” Philippine sovereignty.

The nine-dash line is used on Chinese maps to represent its claims over areas of the South China Sea.

“Dapat lang ipagbawal ang pelikulang Barbie dahil ang pinakita nitong nine-dash line ay salungat sa katotohanan at pinawalang bisa na ng arbitral ruling noong 2016,” said Tolentino.

(The movie Barbie should be banned because the nine-dash line it showed is contrary to the truth and was invalidated by the arbitral ruling in 2016.)

In a separate statement, Senator Jinggoy Estrada backed Tolentino’s call, also urging MTRCB to take a firm stand and ban the commercial screenings of the motion picture in the Philippines.

“It may be a work of fiction, but still, this is a very sensitive issue. It is contrary to our national interest and China has no historic rights in the waters within the nine-dash line. No less than the Arbitral Tribunal already held in 2016 that this infamous line has no legal basis,” said Estrada.

“Matagal natin na ipinaglaban ito at dapat lamang na manindigan tayo sa mga usapin na may kinalaman sa soberanya ng bansa. Umaasa tayo na sa lalong madaling panahon ay makakapagbigay ng desisyon ang MTRCB ukol dito,” he furthered.

(We have fought for this for a long time and should only stand up for matters related to the country’s sovereignty. We hope that the MTRCB will soon be able to decide on this.)

Meanwhile, opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros disagreed with the movie ban, considering it was just a work of fiction. She, however, insisted that Philippine cinemas should include an “explicit disclaimer” that the nine-dash line is just a “figment of China’s imagination.”

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