A series of storms that hit the Philippines last year and this year made me want to write this VERY SENSITIVE TOPIC. It took me months to think about it. Now with the film fest nearing - I think this is a post I wanted to write against the Philippine mass media. I could remember how I began my series of posts regarding the Chiong Sisters case. It was in 1997 when it happened. I was in high school when the trial went on. It was a scary thought (really) that two sisters were gone missing, and one of them was found dead (and I believe the body is Marijoy Chiong and the body was later cremated years later). First, there was the Vizconde Massacre which launched national outrage. Then, there was this case. You can tell the brutality of the crime. Yet, it turns out that many of those who were tagged as suspects were INNOCENT. Yes, Hubert Webb and Juan Francisco "Paco" G. Larranaga were INNOCENT of the crime. Paco was in Manila when the crime happened. Hubert was in the USA when the crime happened. Two cases with a biased judge and trial by teleserye. That's why I wish Duterte critic, Carlos P. Celdran, didn't leave the world too soon because he pointed out several inconsistencies.
Back then, there was a movie called Butakal which was also named Animal in 2004. The film was loosely based on the Chiong Sisters' case. I think a disclaimer was placed that it was a work of fiction. Both Thelma and her late husband, Dionisio Chiong, battled to stop the film from showing the film. I have their sympathies over the loss of their two daughters. However, it's so sad that Thelma still believes the lies that were fed to her during the trial conducted by the late Judge Martin Ocampo. Ocampo later committed suicide (though some speculate he was murdered) through a suicide note that may prove the former. I'm not surprised that the Chiong couple didn't want the film to be screened. The wounds were still fresh. Ironically, the Calvento Files episode was aired DURING THE TRIAL. I guess the Chiong couple was traumatized by the airing during the trial. The movie was nothing more than a cheap exploitation film probably meant to profit out of the ongoing case.
However, a very weird move happened in 2018. We had a movie called Jacqueline Comes Home. The movie was hoped for by Thelma to clarify the rumors. It was said that the director, Carlo J. Caparras, wanted to make a movie. Thelma initially didn't want it because it may relive old wounds. I believe Thelma already suffered enough during the airing of the Calvento Files episode. Thelma did fight against the screening of Animal which was also alternatively titled Butakal. The movie Butakal was a fiction based on the false testimony of Davidson Rusia. Jako and his pals also had an incident in the parking lot. However, according to former NBI agent, Florencio Villarin, it was some mischief rather than major damage like the fictional movie portrayed. In the movie, Jaco's mother is already a widower while Paco's father, Manuel Larranaga, was alive. The movie was a fiction that was most likely meant to exploit the case. Ironically, Thelma decided to give the blessings to Caparras hoping to "dispel all rumors".
I think it's really a bad move by Thelma. Thelma was interviewed by both Michael and Marty. Marty said the film was meant also to give justice to the Chiong Sisters. How can there be justice if innocent people are punished for a crime they didn't commit? Paco was in QUEZON CITY ALL ALONG when the crime happened. I even wonder if Paco's alleged kidnapping attempt against ta certain Rochelle Virtuco was even a fake. An affidavit can be faked as well. I feel the affidavit prepared by Enrique Uy was most likely a fake. I don't buy it for a second that the Chiong sisters are alive and well in Canada. The "proof" has been rather faulty. Two daughters-in-law of the Chiong couple were mistaken to be Marijoy. A simple trip to the alma mater of the two daughters-in-law will prove that they're not Marijoy. Sure, one of them has a striking resemblance to Marijoy BUT she is obviously NOT Marijoy. Meanwhile, the youngest, Debbie, attended the same high school as her two older sisters. Scholastic records from their high school and college can prove that Debbie's NOT Jacqueline. The two attended two different colleges in two different times! Even facial features can tell both Debbie and her sister apart. There could've been other ways to prove that her daughters were no longer around - not that movie.
The movie unfortunately had so many glaring inconsistencies
VIVA Films did have a second movie about the Vizconde Massacre which placed an obviously fictionalized event. Yes, I'm talking about the movie with Vina Morales (Sharon Garcia Magdayao in real life). There was a scene where the late Lauro Vizconde consulted a certain witch. If I'm not wrong, the late Estrellita was also maligned (in the film) to have been having a lover while Lauro was away. The movie tried to put in some supernatural encounters that can't even be proven in court. The movie had a very calm Thelma in contrast to the real-life situation. Thelma grew hysterical when Ocampo declared double life sentence instead of the desired DEATH PENALTY. The Chiongs' material auntie, Cheryl Jimenea (who was the presidential secretary at that time), also threw a fit because of her nieces. Later, Thelma left the cinema in tears. I doubt Thelma was just acting. My stand is that Thelma is a grieving mother who wants justice that was never met. That's what Marty also wanted to portray Thelma.
Yet, I still feel Thelma wanted justice in any way possible and ironically made a fool out of herself. Until now, Thelma still ignored the evidence that the documentary shows that seven innocent people were tagged in her tragedy. Once again, evidence was heavy that Paco was in Manila. Other testimonies pointed out that the other suspects were either arrested for other crimes or not. Some documents revealed that Josman Aznar was partying on that night. The Uy brothers were at home. True, the four of them had PREVIOUS records. Still, it's crooked to accuse them of a crime that they didn't commit. I still feel whoever orchestrated the crime must've had power with the police. The three men who arrested Paco may have been the ones who gang-raped the Chiong sisters after all. It's possible that the three men who arrested Paco were also the ones who threw Marijoy's body. Chances are that Jacqueline's body was thrown into a body of water hence explaining the missing corpse. Again, those are just speculative.
Give Up Tomorrow was a documentary that showed everything wrong with the justice system. The movie Jacqueline Comes Home was subject to criticism. Fortunately, Jacqueline Comes Home didn't mention the name of the eight suspects and only gave them nicknames. Ironically, the film did manage to spark interest and give new life to the documentary which took seven years to finish. Later on, we have Nino Muhlach giving a heartfelt apology to Paco Larranaga after he watched the film. Previously, Nino was playing the role of Paco in The Calvento Files. Unethically, the episode was aired DURING THE TRIAL which, as Celdran called it, was like an episode of Maaalaala Mo Kaya. Later, Teddy Boy Locsin (who once sensationalized the amount of sperm in the corpse) may have regretted his actions during those many years. Clips of the episode from The Calvento Files were also featured in the documentary Give Up Tomorrow.
I think Thelma was still aware of this ongoing fact - the favorite sources of many are pelikulas, komiks, and teleseryes. However, the documentary film Give Up Tomorrow gave us such a huge impact. What truly doesn't even make sense. Unfortunately, the testimony of Davidson might be best compared to a teleserye. The use of exaggerations was there. A cupful of sperm? I was wondering what in the world was Locsin thinking when he said that? Later, it wasn't even a cupful of sperm. Later, I felt that Davidson's claim that they took the girls to Guadalupe in CEBU CITY before taking them to CARCAR CITY was just stupid. Who in the right mind would take the girls to have a rape party in CEBU CITY which is MILES AWAY from CARCAR where the body of (who I believe to be Marijoy) was found? Why in the world would they stop by one place to rape the girls and then travel far to finish it? It just doesn't seem to make sense! That's why I want to believe the three men who illegally arrested Paco (along with other corrupt cops) were the real killers of the Chiong sisters. Just remember that Dionisio was supposed to testify against a certain someone (name not mentioned) but withdrew when his daughters were missing. Dionisio was probably victimized for these two reasons - he held critical information (which unfortunately may have died with him) and that the loss of his daughters (along with a convincing theatrical show) will prevent him from testifying. Sadly, Dionisio, like Lauro, died without knowing who the real murderers are.
One deleted scene from Give Up Tomorrow (above) talks about a certain Dogan Gurkan. The episode of The Calvento Files was based on the SOLE testimony of Davidson. According to Davidson, the two were brought to that alleged safe house in Guadalupe, Cebu, before they went to Carcar to finish the dirty deed. As Gurkan says here, he can tell that Davidson is LYING. The documentary Give Up Tomorrow even revealed Davidson was TORTURED by the police. That's why both Michael and Marty wanted to find him but they never did. There are photos today on social media of who could be Davidson. Hopefully, Michael and Marty can find Davidson and get the truth out. Hopefully, Davidson will have the guts to finally blurt out that he was also dragged into a mess. Davidson was arrested for a completely DIFFERENT CRIME. This scene makes me convinced that the cops who accompanied Davidson might be the real culprits. Right now, I feel the real culprits may have disposed of Jacqueline's body just in case any more incriminating evidence against them could be uncovered by a dead woman's remains. Gurkan has two daughters too and gave his sympathy to the Chiongs while testifying that his safehouse was vacant. I think the men with Rusia took the girls to Guadalupe in CARCAR to do the dirty deed.
Thelma could've just focused on proving that her youngest daughter (Debbie) and one of her daughters-in-law (Amelie) isn't her deceased daughters. Thelma could've shown academic records of her three daughters to prove that Debbie and Jacqueline are two different people. Jacqueline had a different alma mater from Debbie in terms of college. Also, Debbie looks too young to be a woman in her 40s. Jacqueline was 23 when she died and her body was never recovered. Jacqueline would be 48 by now. Debbie is most likely only in her 30s. Justice needs to be done but that can NEVER be accomplished by punishing the guilty along with the innocent. I feel sorry for Thelma for losing two daughters, for stupid point missers, and for her bad decision to allow Caparras to film the movie. I felt Thelma could've just cooperated by Michael and Marty to prove she was a victim. Instead, Thelma still believed the lies fed to her and still holds a grudge against the wrong people.
I'm afraid the incident shows what's truly lacking in the Philippines. It's all about critical thinking. I bought it before both Hubert and Paco were guilty. However, after looking at the evidene, the whole trial was run by two biased judges. One is dead and screaming in the flames.
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