TIONGSON ANSWERS. Sinagot naman ni Tiongson ang mga akusasyon ni Guidote-Alvarez sa isang letter to the editor na nailathala sa Philippine Daily Inquirer noong July 8.

Ayon sa film professor at kritiko, "disturbed" daw siya sa mga sinabi ni Guidote-Alvarez, na umano'y "selective and misleading."

Dagdag pa niya, imposible raw na impluwensiyahan na isang tao ang lahat ng kasama sa screening process para lamang matanggal ang pangalan ng isang nominado.

Binubuo raw ang screening council ng 20 tao na galing sa iba't-ibang disiplina.

Ipinaliwanag din ni Tiongson ang kanyang statement tungkol sa mga role ni Dolphy, para linawin ito.

Ayon sa kanya, ang pag-aakusang ito ng dating NCCA official ay paglabag sa confidentiality agreement ng screening committee.

Pagsasaad pa ni Tiongson, "At the second meeting of the experts, I did express reservations about Dolphy as National Artist because I believed that the two icons he created for film and TV—the screaming gay and the happy-go-lucky poor man—have, in the majority of his movies, equated gayness with abnormality and mindless frivolity on the one hand, and romanticized or deodorized poverty on the other.

"As a participant in the selection process, I thought it was my right and duty to express this opinion, just as others in the group had every right to express theirs, all toward helping the peers make an enlightened evaluation of the candidate. (The opinion I expressed in no way diminishes my continuing admiration and respect for Dolphy as a most talented comedian and a very kind human being.)"

Itinuon din niya ang pansin sa paglitaw ni Guidote-Alvarez ngayon. Tanong niya, ito ba ay para pagtakpan ang nangyaring kontrobersiya sa National Artist awards noong 2009, kung saan nominado rin si Guidote-Alvarez kahit parte siya ng screening committe?

"My comments on Dolphy were made in 2009. Why are they being exhumed now? Why is my name being dragged into the controversy? Am I being turned into a scapegoat to cover up for the scandalous dagdag-bawas that led to the suspension of the awards in 2009? Is this a ploy by some people to regain face and credibility, by riding on the emotionally charged and media-magnet issue of a National Artist Award for the ailing and hugely popular comedian?"

Bukas ang PEP sa mga pahayag na nais ipahatid ng mga taong sangkot sa isyung ito.