Pormal na sinulatan ni Danilo Lim, Overall Chairman ng Metro Manila Film Festival Executive Committee at Metro Manila Development Authority si Liza Diño-Seguerra, dated July 21, 2020, upang ipaalam na tinanggal na siya bilang member ng Executive Committee ng taunang MMFF.
“As early as 2016, you already made efforts to transfer management of the MMFF from Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP). You even wrote a letter to Malacañang asking for extension of festival period for MMFF and to transfer chairmanship of MMFF from the undersigned to you. You even directly accused MMFF of being involved in controversies, an institution which you supposedly belong and as a member of the Executive Committee should be defending. Recent events and information coming to our office indicate that you have not given up on your dream to take over the chairmanship of MMFF and to take it away from MMDA and is actively pursuing the same.
“We honestly believe therefore that your membership in the Executive Committee is no longer tenable as your actions are inimical to MMFF and reek conflict of interest. We regret not your removal from the MMFF but rather that it has come to this far. After your first botched attempt to transfer administration of MMFF to you and your office, we were expecting you to resign out of delicadeza. For this reason, we would like to inform you that we have decided to withdraw your appointment as a member of the Executive Committee.”
Wala pang reaksyon si Liza sa sulat ni Lim as of this writing.
Samantala, ang samahan naman ng Cinema Exhibitors Association of the Philippines ay nagpahayag ng suporta sa MMDA sa pamamalakad nito sa MMFF sa isang statement na inilabas last July 22, 2020.