MANILA, Philippines - Whether later or right in the end, the action hero always wins. In the case of Coco Martin of Fernando Poe Jr.’s Ang Probinsyano, somebody even steals it from him without trying.
Coco plays a dual character. As Police Senior Inspector Dominador “Ador” de Leon, he got entangled with a syndicate that eventually killed him. And as SPO1 Ricardo “Cardo” Dalisay, he was ordered to become the doppelganger to cover up his twin brother’s death.
Cardo’s cover-up was blown up by a four-year-old stalker right on the ground. He bravely hopped into a veggie delivery truck in Botolan, Zambales to look for his “Kuya” Cardo in the big city. That’s a term of respect as they have no blood ties.
Having done that, he persisted in identifying Cardo who has assumed the character of Ador. His knowledgeable effort paid off. Cardo owned up, thus eventually exposing his real identity.
This revealer is a complainer, a makulit. He’s tiny Onyok!
“Hay naku!” exhales Onyok in adult-like exasperation, his hands on his slender waist (or sometimes touching his head with unruly hair). He does this whenever a situation in FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano does not meet his expectation.
The most adorable actor in primetime now, Onyok is not a good-looking, fair-skinned, well-groomed child wonder. He is the exact opposite: A hyper-active promdi smart aleck with an adult task — to play alter ego to lead actor Coco.
He lives up to the big challenge. Xymon Ezekiel Pineda in real life, his first name was simplified to Simon when he was cast in the Action King’s Ang Probinsyano, a superb remake of his 1977 action classic, now ABS-CBN’s highest-rating primetime series.
Onyok is his all-important sidekick, a routine character in action films. He is the male version of Ryzza Mae Dizon for his ability to transcend stereotype but less pampered.
He’s the exact opposite of Dominador “Junior” de Leon Jr., Ador’s son as played by Andre Navarro, who is good-looking and appears soft in character. The contrast works well as it brings out their characterizations effectively.
As he matches Cardo’s character, Onyok complements his sense of brave but bold heroism. As it has turned out, Onyok starts a fight scene that Cardo wraps up in victory.
Simon now fulfills the series formula of a lovable child character that makes the narrative move its entertaining moments, the scene-stealer character. Even Susan Roces as Lola Kap, Ador’s and Cardo’s loving lola, has fallen for his reckless charm.
Simon joined It’s Showtime’s Mini Me contest as the three-year-old Mini Bamboo. Impersonating Bamboo rock band’s lead vocalist, he sang Hallelujah. But he only placed second to Xiamara Sophia Vigor as Mini Selena Gomez.
Simon first appeared in Inday Bote, Alex Gonzaga’s TV remake of Maricel Soriano’s beloved film character. Trained in the acting by Malou Crisologo, he’s a dwarf in the magic bottle that Inday received for being kind-hearted.
Determined to be on TV, he joined the audition for the remake of FPJ’s iconic policeman character. Coco shared that the sparkle of his eyes and no-nonsense attitude clinched him the support role.
This is unlike Ryzza Mae’s favored situation. TAPE, Inc., her business manager, pushes her career that ensures uninterrupted screen exposure.
Now is the time to build up Simon into a viable star by not allowing him to go the route of child actors with one-series starrers. This can be thwarted by a determined push to make him an It’s Showtime regular. Lead host Vice Ganda had owned him to be their own.