Movie columnist Jobert Sucaldito airs sentiment over Vice Ganda’s Star Awards victory

MANILA, Philippines - In a lengthy post on his personal Facebook account on Monday, March 10, veteran showbiz columnist and radio personality Jobert Sucaldito aired his opinion over Vice Ganda's win in the recently concluded Star Awards for Movies held last Sunday, March 9.

Vice won the Movie Actor of the Year award at the 2014 Star Awards for Movies for his role in the comedy movie “Girl Boy Bakla Tomboy.” Among the actors he bested for the award include Piolo Pascual and Joel Torre of “On The Job” and Jeorge Estregan Jr. of “Boy Golden: Shoot to Kill.”

The Star Awards for Movies is organized by the Philippine Movie Press Club (PMPC), which also holds the yearly Star Awards for TV and Star Awards for Music.

According to Sucaldito, he decided to lobby for Estregan when he found out Torre won’t win the best actor award for “On The Job” because “hindi nila kayang magbayad sa voting members.” He claimed the “Boy Golden” actor was “next in line” to win the acting award after Torre.

Jeorge Estragan Jr. is the screen name of actor and Laguna governor E.R. Ejercito. Sucaldito, meanwhile, is Ejercito’s longtime publicist.

RELATED: Vice, KC lead winners of 2014 Star Awards for Movies

“I have to call first members of PMPC para makasiguro ako sa pagkapanalo ng alaga ko dahil PR man ako. That's part of the lobbying. Normal lang iyon — kahit sa Oscar's sa America ay uso ang lobbying, di ba? I have to syempre weigh first kung may laban ako. Since 38 lang naman ang voting members, I have to get at least a vote more than half of them — meaning, more than 19 in short. So I commissioned 22 of them bago ako sumugal,” he said.

But the movie columnist said a voting member of the PMPC lobbied for Vice, who is currently in the United States.

“Nagbayad siya ng pera sa mga kasamahan niya sa PMPC para manalo si Vice Ganda who is abroad. Mamatay na ang nagsisisnungaling,” he said. Sucaldito added he paid a higher price to lobby for Estregan, but claimed three members of the PMPC executive committee are for Vice because “mas nauna sila naka-commit doon.”

“At ang malungkot, ayaw nilang ipakita ang tunay na resulta ng botohan nila — itinatago nila. Kasi nga, if I had 22 committed members, ilan na lang ang natitira sa kanila? 16? In short, I already have the numbers. Kaya lang, since ayaw nilang ipakita ang tunay na resulta ng votes, nanalo si Vice Ganda dahil kontrolado nila ang results,” Sucaldito said.

Sucaldito said Estregan did not know he lobbied for him to win the acting award and that it’s not wrong for him to lobby for the win since he is not a PMPC voting member.

“Okay lang naman ang lobbying pag hindi ka member and I don't care kung magalit sila sa akin - nanggagago sila kasi eh. puwes, magkabukohan na tayo. VICE GANDA's winning was PAID,” he said.

The Philippine Movie Press Club is yet to issue a statement regarding Sucaldito’s claim.