Award-winning actor Mon Confiado seems to be (smartly?) stopping himself from talking about his major role in the increasingly controversial forthcoming film The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma. 

Confiado portrays the optician Dr. Rey de la Cruz, the loquacious manager of the late nymphet actress who is the subject of the film written and directed by Darryl Yap. 

As De la Cruz, Confiado has a lengthy exposure in the second teaser for the film posted by Yap on his Facebook account, VinCentiments. 

That second teaser is longer than the first one since the second must be meant to be a trailer in cinemas. But it has never been submitted to the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) for approval, so it cannot be shown in a theater after the main feature (that’s when it is called “trailer”). 

Yap could not avoid the inclusion of the De la Cruz character in the second teaser because the late optician (he died in 1999) was quite influential in Paloma’s career and was practically as famous (or infamous?) as the bunch of skin-flick stars he manages. 

De la Cruz was better known than Paloma’s real-life mother who seems to have been Yap’s main source  about Paloma’s private life in writing the film’s script. 

The De la Cruz character was belligerent in the scenes in the second teaser, which does not mention anymore actor Vic Sotto as having raped Paloma, unlike in the first one. 

Originally intended by Yap to be released in theaters on 5 February, The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma cannot be reviewed by the MTRCB because its charter stipulates that a film (as well as taped TV shows) will not be reviewed if there are unresolved court cases and administrative investigations about it. Yap was sued by Sotto for 19 counts of cyber libel on 9 January and the case is still being heard at the sala of Judge Liezel Aquiatan at the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court. 

The hearing began only on 17 January. It is not known yet when the litigation will conclude. It will be only after the case has been resolved that the MTRCB can review the film.

But the verdict of a regional trial court can be appealed by the party who is not favored by the court’s decision. If an one between the contending parties files an appeal, that action can further prevent the MTRCB from reviewing Yap’s film. 

Would it not be best for Yap to shop for a streaming company to show his film since those platforms do not need MTRCB approval?

Meanwhile, Confiado seems to prefer to talk to the media and the vloggers about his comeback as the first president of the Philippines, Emilio Aguinaldo, in the upcoming historical biopic “Quezon.”

The film reportedly began shooting in late January with Jericho Rosales portraying the late Philippine Commonwealth era president, the illustrious Manuel Luis Quezon. Jerrold Tarog directs the film produced by TBA Studios. 

Confiado recently took to Instagram to share a photo from the film’s table reading, showing a printed script of Quezon and his nameplate as Aguinaldo.

Confiado first portrayed Aguinaldo in the historical epic films Heneral Luna and Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral, which he considers the biggest break he has had in his 25 years as an actor.

Confiado previously confided to media that there are pros and cons to playing iconic characters which may overshadow his other notable portrayals. Couldn’t his delineation of the gay De la Cruz become iconic, too? 

Intoned Confiado to the press recently: “Unless another important role comes along, people will refer to me as Aguinaldo until I retire. This is why I try to promote in my social media accounts the other characters I’ve portrayed in the past. As early as now, I already try to break out of the stereotype. I want people to see me as a versatile actor.”

Wouldn’t Confiado equally relish being referred to as Dr. Rey de la Cruz until he retires?

The character actor turns 57 on 19 March and really still in demand in the industry. Acting is in his blood as he is a son of character actor Angel Confiado who was active in the movies from the era of silent films of LVN Productions until 1997. The elder Confiado passed away in 2006 in his early 90s.

Confiado did include a photo of himself as De la Cruz in a recent Instagram posting of pictures of characters he has depicted. But he has yet to talk to the press and the vloggers about his involvement in The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma. 

Meanwhile, Quezon is a  continuation of TBA Studios’ cinematic Bayaniverse, a series of films based on Philippine history.

***