The adopted child

What we find quite interesting in Prime Video’s now ongoing series The Alibi is Paulo Avelino’s character as an adopted son of the couple portrayed by Zsa Zsa Padilla and John Arcilla. There are rarely adopted children roles in Pinoy movies and series. We’re not a people fond of adopting-and those who adopt usually take children of families related to them. Pinoys rarely adopt children from orphanages.

Of course, it is also quite interesting that Vincent Cabrera (Avelino) is a broadcast journalist since his foster father, Arthur (John Arcilla) owns a news broadcasting company based in Cebu where the entire series was shot.

That Vincent is adopted is practically slapped into his face by his fierce foster father within the first 10 minutes of the opening episode. It happened when Vincent confronted his imperious foster dad’s decision to shut down the unprofitable company in the next few months, though its impending closure seems to have not been announced to the company staff.

The adopted son sounded too aggressive and masterful when he told his foster dad to give him six months to turn the business around, prompting the old man to blurt out to his (Vincent’s) face his status as a merely adopted Cabrera.

In the next scenes, in a grand party, Arthur announced that he was appointing Walter Cunanan (Sam Milby) as the new CEO of the company. Soon, away from the crowd attending the party, Vincent and Walter engaged in a fistfight, were pacified by Vincent’s foster mom and by Vincent’s siblings portrayed by Rafael Rosell and newcomer young star Robbie Jaworski.

Other damning occurrences break out in the launching episode. Vincent finds out that his wife, Claudia (Sophia Andres) was having an affair with Cunanan who would soon be found in his quarters murdered after Vincent paid him an unscheduled visit.

Fast-paced opening

In the quick-paced opening episode, the viewers would meet mysterious sex worker-dancer, Stella (Kim Chiu), and Vincent’s spending the night with her on the night of Cunanan’s murder. Being with Stella would be his alibi when he is declared the primary suspect in the murder. He offers the impoverished Stella one million pesos to be his alibi. She accepted the offer, of course.

The circumstances leading to Vincent’s adoption are not revealed yet in episode 2. Prime Video presents two new episodes every Friday. What has become clear in the first two episodes is that Vincent is not Arthur’s favorite son mainly because he is just adopted. Vincent’s adoption may not be Arthur’s idea but that of his wife Jacqueline (Padilla).

Alma Moreno and Irma Adlawan are listed in the cast. One of them could be portraying Vincent’s biological mother. The series could gain more intensity if the real mom were portrayed by Moreno — because in real life, Padilla was the reason Pinoy master comedian Dolphy left Moreno years after they had a son who grew up to be the actor Vandolph Quizon.

A big clash

There has never been a publicly known clash between Moreno and Padilla who lived with Dolphy until his death in 2012 (while Moreno took up with comedian Joey Marquez and had several children, including beauty queen Wynwyn Marquez).

The Alibi will most likely have so many twists and turns which, hopefully, are all credible, including the ones that will reveal the circumstances in Vincent’s adoption.

The show’s publicity lists down also as cast members Angelina Cruz (newcomer Jaworsko’s love interest and daughter of ex-couple actors Sunshine Cruz and Cesar Montano), Romnick Sarmenta, Ian de Leon, Enzo Osorio, Thou Reyes, Alora Sasam, Alyanna Angeles, PJ Endrinal, Lotlot Bustamante, Ayesha Bajeta, Marvin Yap, Johaira Omar, Yesh Burce and Kim Tubiano. Any of these actors may be playing characters biologically connected with Avelino’s adopted son character or they may be aware of the circumstances that led to the adoption. The publicity yarn practically brags that both Vincent and Stella have “haunted pasts” they are obsessed with disentangling from.

The series’ script is written by Danica Domingo, a seasoned practitioner of creating narratives of shocking twists and turns. We hope her storyline for “The Alibi” does not end up with the feeling it is damning and dooming to adopt children because they grow up obsessed, contemptuous, if not downright evil.

The series is directed by FM Reyes and Jojo Saguin, by now both veterans in the profession. We hope they justify John Arcilla’s sky-high admiration for Padilla’s acting (though we have always found Padilla more engaging as an actress than a forever screaming singer). We hope, too, that the directors will manage to eek out soft and sensitive acting from Arcilla to save him from his branding as a fierce actor of the oratorical kind.

As it continues

In the second episode of the new Prime Video series The Alibi, titled “The Price of Innocence,” the murder investigation intensifies, causing Vincent (Paulo Avelino) to lose the trust of his father, Arthur (John Arcilla). The police focus their suspicions on Vincent after discovering his wife, Claudia (Sophia Andres), was having an affair with the murder victim, Walter Cunan (Sam Milby).

As the police close in on Vincent, Stella (Kim Chiu), an escort with a troubled past, is in a desperate situation, needing money to save her ailing brother. Seizing the opportunity, Stella accepts Vincent’s substantial offer to pose as his alibi for the night of Walter’s murder. Unbeknownst to her, this transactional agreement drags her into the complex and messy affairs of the powerful Cabrera family.

Police Investigation Intensifies: Authorities discover that Vincent’s wife, Claudia, was engaged in an affair with the deceased Walter, providing a strong potential motive for Vincent.

Family distrust: The mounting evidence and police scrutiny lead to a breakdown of trust between Vincent and his father, Arthur.

Stella’s desperation: Viewers see more of Stella’s personal struggles, specifically her urgent need for money for her brother’s medical care, which pushes her to accept Vincent’s dangerous proposition.

The alibi is formed: The central plot point of the series is set in motion as Stella and Vincent formally agree to their arrangement, creating an “unconventional entanglement that is shrouded with mystery.”

Intrigue and suspicions: The episode builds on the mystery, leaving viewers to question who the real murderer is, with some viewers online speculating that members of the Cabrera family or other characters like Rafael Russell might be involved.