Stalled several times by the COVID-19 pandemic, the tragic story about the fallen 44 Special Action Forces (SAF) killed in Mamasapano in Maguindanao is re-enacted in full cinematic scale. More than two years in the making, the fateful saga of the “SAF44” – as they are now collectively called – is relived in the movie aptly entitled: “Mamasapano, Now it Can Be Told.”
With the fears of the COVID-19 almost over, the movie about the Mamasapano promises a full narrative from different points of view of the key people involved, except the dead ones. That is according to the producer of this movie, lawyer Ferdinand Topacio. Produced by Borracho Films, a film outfit headed by Topacio, the “Mamasapano” movie is one of the eight official entries in the 2022 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).
Being deprived of enjoyment watching films in the big screens in theaters in the past two years of the pandemic, Topacio believes the 2022 MMFF will trigger the “revenge” of Filipino moviegoers. He wishes the Filipinos will go on a “movie binge” and see all the eight MMFF movie entries at P300 to P350 per ticket.
Topacio joined us last Wednesday at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay a few hours before he proceeded to Quezon City for the “Parade of Stars” and motor floats of the eight movie entries to the MMFF. Principally organized yearly by the Metro Manila Development Authority, the eight competing films in the MMFF will have a public showing in all cinemas starting Christmas day Dec. 25 until Jan. 7 next year.
Topacio described the movie “Mamasapano” as not an action movie just because it depicts the bloody and deadly armed skirmishes between the protagonists. He categorized it as a drama movie that was culled from the interviews of the few survivors of this battle against Muslim bandits along with some of the key personalities who figured in the botched “Oplan Exodus” during the administration of the late President Benigno Simeon “PNoy” Aquino III.
One of the actors in this movie, Jeric Cajarop who portrayed the role of PNoy, stood out in the MMFF “Parade of Floats.” Made up to look like the late president, he wore the favorite yellow T-shirt of PNoy with black patches on the shoulders. Actors, Juan Rodrigo and Edu Manzano played the roles of then Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and Police Director Benjamin Magalong, respectively.
Topacio maintains the “Mamasapano” movie is not trying to make a political statement.
Topacio is not just a legal eagle but is also a self-confessed movie buff. The flamboyant lawyer dabbles as contributing writer of The Star entertainment section. He does film reviews and critique on both local and foreign-produced movies.
Topacio renewed his petition to Ombudsman Samuel Martires to reopen the investigation against former Philippine National Police (PNP) director general Alan Purisima and retired SAF director Getulio Napeñas. After separate investigations done by the PNP Board of Inquiry and the Senate public hearings, he recalled, both PNP officers were directly held responsible for it.
In 2019, the Fourth Division of the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan dismissed the cases of graft and usurpation of official functions filed against PNoy by former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales. Ombudsman Martires who succeeded Morales subsequently moved for the withdrawal of the charges, citing “insufficient ground and evidence.” A year later, the Fourth Division also dismissed similar cases against Purisima and Napeñas for “lack of probable cause” and the “insufficiency of the allegations” in the case information.
Since PNoy is already dead, Topacio cited, the former Commander-in-chief is no longer included in the motion he will file against Purisima and Napeñas. Neither, he swore, he is using this tragedy as a way to promote this movie. In fact, Topacio explained, they just remembered about the pending complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman while gathering additional research materials for the movie.
But by producing the “Mamasapano” incident into a movie, Topacio hopes it will help generate public support to the cause of justice desired by the parents, widows and orphans of the 44 SAF troopers. They were killed in the bungled police-military operations that were carried out on the wee hours of Jan. 25, 2015. Their mission was to capture international terrorist and bomb expert Zulkifli Bin Hir alias “Marwan” in his hideout in Mamasapano.
As it turned out though, the town was a stronghold of the rogue faction of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) allied with forces of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) bandits. The main faction of the MILF was still then holding peace talks and observing ceasefire with the government. The 44 SAF troopers were mowed down, including Marwan who fought them instead of being captured alive.
The cornfields of this once unknown town in Maguindanao rose to national notoriety following the brutal massacre of SAF44 troopers who were outnumbered by their equally heavily armed enemies. Topacio revealed having replicated the cornfields in the movie shot somewhere in the more peaceful and safer grounds in San Mateo, Rizal.
And the rest, as we say was the history. Many previously unknown bits of this bitter history, Topacio revealed, were retold in this movie in a “dramatization” of events leading to and after it took place.
This reminded me of the Twitter post made by Ambassador Gustavo Gonzalez who commented on his countrymen’s revelry in the win of Argentina championship showdown vs France in the just ended 2022 FIFA World Cup. In his Twitter following the outpouring of his countrymen in Argentina upon the return in Buenos Aires of their victorious team, “@ggonzzalezz posted this: “It seem History goes beyond the life or death dichotomy by bringing passionate events to eternity levels.”
Yes, we must learn from history, especially the mistakes of the past so that these will not be repeated. But it won’t do us any good if we keep dwelling in the past errors. Better yet, correct them for a brighter future of Filipino generations ahead.