The Philippine Embassy in Washington on Tuescried foul over the latest episode of CBS TV series Madam Secretary that negatively depicted “a character purported to be the Philippine President.”
Based on the episode’s trailer, Madam Secretary’s season 3 episode 15 entitled “Break in Diplomacy”, depicts the “Philippines’ unconventional new president” as a character “who crosses the line” by making inappropriate advances towards the female lead character, US Secretary of State Elizabeth McCord.
“This highly negative portrayal of our Head of State not only casts doubt on the respectability of the Office of the Philippine President but also denigrates that way our nation navigates foreign affairs,” the embassy said in a statement.
“It also tarnishes the Philippines’ longstanding advocacy for women’s rights and gender equality,” the statement read.
Embassy officials said a letter has been sent to the CBS Corporation on March 6, in “protest” of the character and to urgently call for “the necessary corrective actions.”
The episode is scheduled to air in the US on March 12.
“While Madam Secretary is a work of fiction, it tracks and mirrors current events. It is, therefore, inevitable that its depiction of world leaders will have an impact on how its audience views the real personages and the countries they represent,” the statement read.
As of posting time, CBS Corporation officials and producers of the show have yet to comment on the issue.
This article first appeared on ABS-CBN News online and is republished with permission.
