Actress Bela Padilla has addressed public discussion surrounding the casting of her uncle, Sen. Robin Padilla, in the series “Blood vs Duty,” amid online calls for the senator to be removed from the production.
The issue surfaced following promotional material released in April 2026 announcing Robin’s role as Ahmad Mustapha in the action series. The show was promoted for broadcast on ALLTV2, A2Z, Kapamilya Channel, and Kapamilya Online Live, with streaming on Netflix and iWant, under the tagline “Ang alamat ng aksyon, Reresbak sa Primetime!”
Online reactions followed, with some netizens criticizing the casting and urging production company JRB Creative Production to remove the senator from the project.
Comments circulating online included calls for his removal and criticism tied to recent political developments. Many said he should not be given a platform.
“This is just so distasteful… you have a senator casted in your s*** and badly represented show… the very senator whose guards endangered the journalists of your network, who covered his staged violence in order to hide a fellow fugitive senator… maybe worry about that…,” an X user wrote.
“Tanggalin niyo na si Robin sa productions niyo mahiya naman kayo sa Pilipinas,” one commented.
“Binibigyan nyo lang ng magandang image ang isang Basura!!! Mahiya kayo, sana nakakatulog pa kayo!” another wrote.
Robin is known as a close ally of former President Rodrigo Duterte and his family, along with Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.
Both Duterte and Dela Rosa have faced scrutiny linked to the International Criminal Court (ICC), with an arrest warrant previously issued against dela Rosa in connection with the former administration’s anti-drug campaign.
The House of Representatives has also transmitted Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte to the Senate, which is expected to convene as an impeachment court.
In her statement, Bela clarified that her uncle’s casting was not influenced by her involvement in the project.
“My uncle being cast in the show was neither because of my influence nor my being part of the cast. I was cast in December. He is a recent addition to the show. This decision is purely the prerogative of the executive and supervising producers of the show,” she said.
She also addressed speculation about her relationship with her uncle, noting that while she remains grateful for his kindness, their interactions have become less frequent over the years due to differing paths and ideologies.
“I do not live close to my uncle. I haven’t seen Tito Robin until we shared the same call time last Friday. Before then, I saw him 3 years ago,” she said.
Bela added that her political views remain separate from her uncle’s, emphasizing independence in her career and personal convictions.
“My uncle’s political affiliation has nothing to do with my personal beliefs and convictions. We are related but we manage to agree to disagree,” she said.