TIS THE SEASON of documentary films.
While the provocative docu “Lost Sabungeros,” a foray into the missing cockfighting aficionados,directed by Bryan Kristoffer Brazil still has to see a commercial theatrerelease after a world premiere at the Quezon City International Film Festival (QCIFF) and special screenings in universities including the University of the Philippines Film Institute (UPFI), an equally controversial doc, “Food Delivery: Fresh from the West Philippine Sea,” a take on the struggles of Filipino fisherfolk and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in the delivery of their basic needs in the disputed territorial and maritime WPS, helmed by Baby Ruth Villarama will have itspublic screening at the Power Plant Cinema on July 27, 2025, another audio-visual documentary is set to stir the imagination and consciousness of diverse audiences.
“Sa Likod ng Tsapa: Beneath the Badge,” a docudrama on the exploits of Col. Hansel Marantan, is scheduled to hit nationwide cinemas on August 13, 2025.
‘[T]he movie is a dramatic presentation of events through file videos and re-enactments. Colonel Marantan himself is the main resource person and a fellow police officer, Col. Mario Mayames … is an interviewee as well in the narrative.’
THE TRUTH
Colonel Hansel Marantan, who was recently acquitted of his involvement in the Atimonan, Quezon shootout in 2013, said he is ready to face up the various reactions to his story.
“I don’t mean this to solicit sympathy for me. I am narrating my story to set out the truth, justice and redemption,” said the police office who was also involved in the serving of arrest warrants and raid at the house of the Congressman of the Third District of Negros Oriental Arnulfo Teves, Jr. and the operations in the capture of Apollo Quiboloy, founder of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) in Davao City.
“There are six cases tackled in the docu,” volunteered Editha Caduaya, writer, director and producer of the film project from Pop Moviehouse and Newsline Philippines.
Three of them are: the Atimonan encounter, the Teves raid and the Quiboloy capture which were reenacted onscreen. “May mga artista ako na kinuha (I got artists) to portray the various characters in the stories,” informed Edith.
A NON-ACTOR
But there is a non-actor featured in the film and he’s none other than Lt. Col. Stefanio Abrenicus Rabino, a subordinate of Marantan and a fellow law enforcer.
Rabino plays the younger Marantan. “This is my first time to act before the cameras for ColonelMarantan,” he assured.
Caduaya, who is also a hard news journalist, said she got interested in filming the biography of Marantan—as a police officer in high profile cases— when he was assigned as the Chief of Police of the Davao City Police District (DCPD).
“Sabi nila, mahirap umapak sa Davao City pero nagawa ni (They say that it’s hard to step into the Davao City soil he was done by) Colonel Marantan. So, ito ‘yon ‘kako kaya naging intresado ako (This was the man so I became interested),” recalled Editha.
“Hindi ko nga alam kung paano niya ako nabola (I don’t know how she was able to sway me),” Marantanchuckled but immediately shifted to “a, kung paano niya ako nakumbinsi (oh, let me say, how she was able to convince me),” he smiled.
DRAMATIC PRESENTATION
According to Caduaya, the movie is a dramatic presentation of events through file videos and re-enactments.
Colonel Marantan himself is the main resource person and a fellow police officer, Col. Mario Mayames, who is a believer of the protagonist, is an interviewee as well in the narrative.
“May thirteen resource persons pa rin kami (We also have them).”
Caduaya said these people will contribute to make up the whole story.
At the time of the presscon on a rainy Tuesday evening, the official trailer of “Sa Likod ng Tsapa: Beneath the Badge)” was classified as “G” but the whole picture has yet to pass the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB).
The film is distributed by Solar Pictures.