Coco Martin: I’ll ask Cardo to probe MMFF ‘cheating’

COCO Martin plays Cardo in “Ang Probinsiyano”

I assure people that they have nothing to worry about. I will ask Cardo to investigate this.” That was Coco Martin’s flippant remark regarding cheating allegations to boost his film’s (“Beauty and the Bestie”) box-office standing at the recent Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).

Cardo is Coco’s police character in the top-rating teleserye, “Ang Probinsiyano,” on ABS-CBN.

On a serious note, Coco (one of the lead stars of “Beauty”) said: “Ours is but a small industry, so it doesn’t look good to see that we’re fighting each other.”

His action-comedy flick with Vice Ganda was one of eight MMFF entries. Its producers, Star Cinema and Viva Films, had been accused of orchestrating the swapping of tickets in order to boost the film’s standing in the box office.

“This (cheating) isn’t true. This issue makes me sad,” he said. “I want to remind people that we create films for the MMFF as gifts to them, not to see whose entry is better or which film earned more at the tills.”

Comedienne Ai-Ai delas Alas had said she refused to believe Vice Ganda’s pronouncement that “Beauty” had beaten “My Bebe Love” in the box-office ranking.

Delas Alas said this was because M-Zet Films, the producer of their film, “My Bebe Love,” did not resort to cheating.

“Like what we said while promoting the film, viewers would come out of the movie house happy and smiling. I guess that was what made ‘Beauty’ No. 1.”

Last week, the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA, which oversees the MMFF) released the festival’s top earners, but did not disclose the specific ranking.

“In no particular order,” MMDA chief Emmerson Carlos announced the top-grossing movies, as follows: “Haunted Mansion,” “My Bebe Love: #KiligPaMore,” “Beauty and the Bestie” and “#WalangForever.”

On the decision of the MMDA not to release the exact figures, Coco said: “I don’t want to say anything because I have limited knowledge of the festival’s rules and regulations. I respect whatever decision they (organizers) make. I simply did my job as an actor.”