Senators on Tuesday criticized a movie for showing a map of the South China Sea with a nine-dash line, representing China’s claim over the territory.

Senator Francis Tolentino called on the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) to ban Barbie since it “denigrates Philippine sovereignty”. The movie is to be shown in cinemas on July 19.

Vietnam had banned the movie in its theaters, news reports said.

“The Barbie movie should be banned because this is against the truth and the 2016 arbitral ruling,” Tolentino said. He was referring to the ruling which said China has no basis to claim the South China Sea based on its nine-dash line.

Senator Risa Hontiveros said the nine-dash line was “fiction” just like the movie.

“At the minimum, our cinemas should include an explicit disclaimer that the nine-dash line is a figment of China’s imagination,” she added.

Senator Jinggoy Estrada considered it a sensitive issue despite the movie being fiction

“It may be a work of fiction but still, this is a very sensitive issue,” Estrada said.

“We have been fighting for our sovereignty for so long. We are expecting that the MTRCB will be able to decide at the soonest time possible,” he added.

MTRCB said they have reviewed the movie.

“At this time, the assigned Committee on First Review is deliberating on the request of the Warner Brothers FE Inc. for a Permit to Exhibit,” it said in a statement.

“Once available, a copy of the Permit to Exhibit or the Committee’s decision will be uploaded to the Agency’s official website,” it added. Jaspearl Tan/DMS