Brocka triumvirate: Boyet, Bembol & Ipe

In a recent episode of Persona on Cinema One, Jericho Rosales interviewed Phillip Salvador, their one-on-one touching on wide-ranging topics, including (but of course) their upcoming fantaserye on ABS-CBN Panday. Echo plays the title role in the TV version of Panday, while Ipe is the character who bequeaths the legendary sword to the blacksmith, used to fight evils in this world.

The country’s greatest actor, the legendary Fernando Poe Jr., originated the Panday role, written by Carlo J. Caparas, himself a legend in the field of komiks writing. Ipe to date mourns the untimely death of his ninong Ronnie – and so does the whole country. Echo regrets that he only knew FPJ from a distance, as Da King of Philippine movies. But he is greatly honored that he is following in FPJ’s footsteps in portraying Panday, a character forever identified with Da King, the embodiment of what is good and noble on- and off-screen.

As expected, Echo asked Ipe about his mentor, the late National Artist Lino Brocka, the one man who shaped his career and personal life. Ipe gets emotional when talking about Brocka and his voice cracked several times during the Persona one-on-one with Echo.

Phillip Salvador was languishing in so-so roles when Brocka rediscovered him, walking proud and tall in a studio where the great director-starbuilder was attending to some business. Brocka heard the ringing of bells (remember?) and Ipe was never the same from then on. This was in 1979.

Brocka directed Ipe in such classics as Jaguar (the first film to compete at Cannes), Cain at Abel (where he won the first FAP Best Actor award), Mananayaw (inspired by the true story of two lovers who danced professionally), Bona, Rubia Servios, Adultery, Kapit sa Patalim, Orapronobis.

The last two Brocka titles mentioned, Kapit sa Patalim and Orapronobis had Gina Alajar for a leading lady. Ipe told Echo she is his favorite leading lady. "With apologies to my other leading ladies," Ipe said. The "others" include Nora Aunor, Vilma Santos, Hilda Koronel, Chanda Romero, Dina Bonnevie, Cecille Castillo, Rio Locsin, Amy Austria.

Needless to say, Ipe was handled by other fine directors, led by Marilou Diaz Abaya who gave him Best Actor trophies for Karnal.

There are three actors most identified with Lino Brocka: Christopher de Leon, Bembol Roco and, of course, Phillip Salvador.

Lino first saw Boyet in the mid-’70s, while with his elder sister Pinky de Leon. Boyet, then only 17, was thin and awkward, but that early Lino knew he had star material. True enough, Boyet was sensational in his first film, a starring role no less in Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang, which Brocka himself produced and directed. Tinimbang dominated the FAMAS awards, giving Boyet his first Best Actor trophy – to be followed by many other acting honors.

Bembol was discovered by Lino – also in the mid-’70s – at a drug rehabilitation center (DARE), where the young man was a facilitator, having undergone treatment there before. Bembol was serious and intense, a young man who has seen and done it all. Lino cast Bembol in an episode of a trilogy he was doing, Tatlo, Dalawa, Isa. An actor was born. Bembol replaced Jay Ilagan in Maynila: Sa Kuko ng Liwanag, listed as one of the 100 best films in the world. Bembol won a FAMAS Best Actor award for Maynila.

Boyet and Bembol didn’t appear in as many Lino Brocka movies as Phillip, but they are nevertheless regarded as Brocka actors as they were molded by the director early in their careers. They may well be called the male "versions" of Hilda Koronel, Gina Alajar and Lorna Tolentino, Brocka babies all.

It must be said though that other good actors were directed by Brocka. Among others: Aga Muhlach in Miguelito and Napakasakit Kuya Eddie, Jay Ilagan in Tubog sa Ginto, Richard Gomez in Kailan Mahuhugasan ang Kasalanan, Dante Rivero in Wanted: Perfect Mother, Eddie Garcia (too numerous to list down here, but Tubog sa Ginto and Gumapang Ka sa Lusak come to mind), Dennis Roldan in Hot Property, Raul Aragon in Ina Ka ng Anak Mo and Angela Markado.

Come to think of it, even the great and immortal FPJ was directed by Brocka in Santiago in the early ’70s, giving him the Best Actor trophy from the Catholic Mass Media Awards.

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