MANILA – Former Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said the Metro Manila Film Festival entry “10,000 Hours” is partly inspired by what really happened to him during the time he went into hiding.
In an exclusive interview with Lynda Jumilla on “Beyond Politics,” Lacson said he was able to read parts of the movie’s script and he is looking forward to seeing the finish product.
“Actually nakapagsimula na sila ng shooting and I heard na magshu-shooting sila abroad. Actually hindi naman talaga ito based on the real situation but inspired lang by the life story. May konting bali. Hindi lang konti but malalaki ang mga bali, mga liko-liko sa tunay na istorya. Diskarte nila iyon, ng producer,” he explained.
“10,000 Hours” stars Robin Padilla, but Lacson said the movie is partly fictional and thus will have different characters.
“Different eh. Nabasa ko 'yung plot pero hindi ko masyado nabigyan ng madiin na pansin. Parang more or less ganun ang takbo ng storya pero maraming liko-liko. Parang may fiction at may totoo, halo-halo na,” he said.
Saying the movie is a must-see, Lacson said he personally thought of the title “10,000 Hours.”
“Kinuwento ko ang 14 months, and 'yung number of days na nawala, mahigit lang ng konti sa 10,000 hours. Ako nag-suggest na kung puwede ganun ang title para isipin kung ano ba iyon. Sinunod naman nila,” he said.
Prodded whether the movie will finally reveal where he stayed when he went into hiding, the former lawmaker said: “Kapag sinabi ko sa iyo, baka walang manood ng pelikula. Hintayin na lang natin kung saan sila magshu-shoot on location at kung ano ang sasabihin nila sa pelikula na situation. Iwanan ko na lang sa kanila iyon.”
Lacson went into hiding for over a year after a Manila Regional Trial Court issued an arrest warrant in connection with the November 2000 murders of publicist Salvador Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito.
He surfaced in March 26, 2011 after the Court of Appeals ruled that the lifting of his arrest warrant was final.
In a previous interview with ABS-CBN News, Padilla welcomed the opportunity to headline an action movie anew.
“Sampung libong oras akong nagtago. Ako’y isang senador dito at napagbintangan siya. Yung 10,000 hours, 'yun 'yung mga oras na siya’y nagtago, hinabol at nakabalik,” Padilla said at the time.
“10,000 Hours” will be shown in theaters as part of the MMFF this December.
