| Arrest: Pat. Rizal Alih – Zamboanga Massacre | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Carlo J. Caparas |
| Written by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Ramon Marcelino |
| Edited by | Rene Tala |
| Music by | Demet Velasquez |
Production companies | The Golden Lions Productions[1] EG Productions |
Release date |
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| Country | Philippines |
| Language | Filipino |
Arrest: Pat. Rizal Alih – Zamboanga Massacre (marketed asArrest: Patrolman Risal Alih – Zamboanga Massacre) is a 1989 Filipinoaction film directed by comic book writerCarlo J. Caparas and written by Caparas and Tony Mortel. It starsRamon Revilla as the titular patrolman, alongsideVilma Santos,Eddie Garcia,Marianne Dela Riva,Paquito Diaz,Raoul Aragonn,Baldo Marro,Charlie Davao, andRosemarie Gil. Based on theCamp Cawa-Cawa siege in January 1989,[2] the film was written and shot within the span of two months, receiving criticism from the chief of theCivil Relations Service of theArmed Forces of the Philippines who faulted it as "premature" and potentially inappropriate.Zamboanga Massacre was released by The Golden Lions Productions on March 8, 1989. Caparas considersZamboanga Massacre to be among the films of which he is the proudest.
The real Alih only became aware of the film's existence in 2011 while in prison atCamp Crame, and the year after he filed alibel complaint against Caparas and his wife, executive producer Donna Villa, for maligning his reputation. The case was ultimately dismissed by the Quezon City Prosecutor's Office as theprescription period for filing charges had already expired.
The film is streaming online onYouTube.
In 1984,Zamboanga CityMayorCesar Climaco is murdered, and patrolman Rizal Alih is detained for his suspected involvement in the crime.[3] In January 1989, Alih and his men take over Camp Cawa-Cawa, the military base where they were held, and holdBrigadier General Eduardo Batalla and Colonel Romeo Abendan hostage. After several shooting confrontations with the Philippine military, Alih ultimately beheads Gen. Batalla, and successfully escapes from the military base.[3][4]
The Golden Lions Production acquired the adaptation rights to theCamp Cawa-Cawa siege in January 1989, the same month that the incident occurred.[8] The film's working title wasBatalla-Alih Encounter: Zamboanga Massacre.[9] According to director and co-writerCarlo J. Caparas in 2009, he was already shooting the film even as the siege was ongoing, as he wanted the scenes to be "really fresh".[10]
In January 1989, directorCarlo J. Caparas castVilma Santos, the highest-paid film actress in the Philippines at the time,[11] for the role of Rizal Alih's wife, after Santos had to decline a role in Caparas' previous filmCelestina Sanchez, Alyas Bubbles – Enforcer: Ativan Gang (commonly shortened toBubbles).[9] Her scenes were allegedly shot in only one day.[12]
Honesto Isleta, chief of theCivil Relations Service,Armed Forces of the Philippines (CRSAFP), criticized the film's production in late January 1989 for being "premature", as the Philippine military presumed that the actual Rizal Alih could still be alive. In addition, Isleta stated thatRamon Revilla, an established action star, would be inappropriate portraying Alih as the protagonist of the story. However, Isleta would admit that the military could not halt the film's production, so they would instead refuse to lease its equipment and firearms to the film crew.[13]
Santanina Rasul, aPhilippines senator who was part of the unsuccessful negotiations for releasing General Batalla, appealed to the filmmakers to have a balanced depiction of Alih in the film.[5] Manuel Morato, chairman of theMovie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), later stated that though his agency could not impede the film's production, it would closely supervise it so as to avoid the glorification of Alih in the work.[8]
Zamboanga Massacre was graded "A" by the MTRCB, indicating a "Very Good" quality.[1][14] The film was released by The Golden Lions Productions on March 8, 1989.[1] ActorRoy Alvarez's agents, however, complained about the posters made for the film for not placing Alvarez's name above the title, arguing that his recent recognition in the internationally co-produced television filmA Dangerous Life warrants a higher billing for the actor.[15] Caparas later considered the film to be among the directorial works which he is most proud, alongsidePieta,Kahit Ako'y Lupa, andBubbles.[10]
In November 2011, while the former renegade policeman Rizal Alih was serving his prison sentence atCamp Crame, he found out about the existence ofZamboanga Massacre for the first time from a prison officer who mentioned it to him.[4][16] Alih later watched the film from the officer's laptop, and felt "so shocked, speechless and angry" that he could not finish the viewing; the film depicted him as having beheaded General Batalla, which he stated as "utterly baseless, malicious and a downright lie perpetrated in order to make the movie such a big hit".[4]
A year later, Alih filed a libel complaint against director Caparas and his wife, executive producer Donna Villa, arguing that the filmmakers prioritized making "a huge profit at the expense of maligning my name and reputation".[4] The case was dismissed by the Quezon City Prosecutor's Office, however, as the prescription period for filing charges had lapsed after more than two decades since the film's release.[16] Alih later died in prison on August 14, 2015.[17]
Their Encounter Was a Crossroad... a Tragic Destiny ...One Man Met His Dead End... The Other... His Death!
Other memorable sequences are the death-defying escape of Rizal Alih from Camp Cawa-Cawa,... the siege on the mosque, the murder of Mayor Cesar Climaco (Alih being a suspect), the murder of Gen. Batalla, ... etc.
Alih, 67, said the movie depicted him as having beheaded Gen. Eduardo Batalla during the siege.
A Thundering Film destined to be the Most Explosive, Most Expensive Movie of the Decade!
PEOPLE are wondering how on earth [sic] were Donna Villa and Carlo J. Caparas able to convince Vilma Santos to portray the role of Rizal Alih's wife in Golden Lion Films' next movie,Batalla-Alih Encounter: Zamboanga Massacre?