Image: Viva Films
Meg Imperial asserts that her upcoming film with Donnalyn Bartolome, “Jacqueline Comes Home (The Chiong Story),” focuses on the experience of the Chiong family, particularly on the loss of the Chiong sisters. Moreover, she stated that the film will not be about “justice,” so the chances of the film being “biased,” as naysayers accuse, is slim to none.
Imperial and Bartolome will be playing the roles of Jacqueline and Marijoy Chiong who were kidnapped, raped and murdered by seven men in 1997. The crime thriller will be exploring the story of the Chiong family throughout the entire ordeal in Cebu.
Playing a controversial character in a controversial film, Imperial did not hold back on defending her role as Jacqueline, as she also stood for the film as a whole. The actress shared via Instagram Story yesterday, July 14, her sentiments on negative comments regarding the movie.
“Ang tao kahit anong paliwanag mo kung meron silang gustong patunayan para bida-bida sila wala ka ng magagawa,” Imperial said. “Sila rin yung mga tao na di na binabasa o pinakikinggan sinasabi mo dahil iniisip na nila agad paano sila aatake sayo.”
(You can’t do anything about people who don’t want to listen to your explanations because they want to show off. They are also the kind of people who don’t read or listen to what you say, because the first thing [that comes] on their minds is how they are going to attack you.)
“Small minded people. You are the one who’s biased,” said Imperial.
“Be careful in pointing fingers,” the actress warned. “We didn’t kill anyone.”
Imperial asserted: “We’re doing our job [and] the film is not biased cause in the first place, [it’s] not even about the justice. Its about the [loss] of their daughters.”
“Again! Guilty man or not ang family, [‘di] maaalis ang fact na nawalan sila,” the actress reminded the netizens. “Buhay man o hindi ang mga anak nila, na rape pa rin sila.”
(Again! Whether the [Chiong] family is guilty or not, the fact that they lost [their daughters] remains. Whether or not [the Chiong sisters] lived or died, they were still raped.)
Image: Screengrab from Instagram/@megimperial
Apparently, Imperial’s Instagram tirade was made after Twitter users called her out and Bartolome for accepting to act in the film. Netizens who watched the 2012 documentary, “Give Up Tomorrow”, which was made to seek justice for the alleged wrongful imprisonment of Francisco “Paco” Larrañaga (one of the seven convicted), were not happy a film was made for the Chiong family.
One netizen, vasquez (@keilcustillas), made a Twitter thread, asking people to refrain from watching the upcoming film because “Jacqueline Comes Home (The Chiong Story)” gives a “false idea” to the youth regarding the Chiong murder case. The netizen also said that Imperial and Bartolome should have done their research before accepting their respective roles.
“If you think we didn’t research about it then you’re the one who’s wrong here. We did our [press con] today [and] it is not about who’s side [the movie is about],” replied Imperial on July 13. In another tweet, she said: “The core [of the story] is about what the family went through after the incident. If you’re not open to what the movie can offer then you’re being biased.”
If you think we didn’t research about it then you’re the one who’s wrong here. We did our presscon today & it is not about who’s side…. https://t.co/glPMFK7Pvx
— Meg Imperial (@megimperial) July 13, 2018
The core is about what the family went through after the incident. If you’re not open to what the movie can offer then you’re being biased. https://t.co/glPMFK7Pvx
— Meg Imperial (@megimperial) July 13, 2018
The netizen then asked Imperial how the film will be “accurately” presenting Paco and the other alleged kidnappers, rapists and murderers, if they will solely be using the Chiong family’s side of the story.
“Have [you] seen the film?” asked Imperial. “Guess not. [It’s] based on real life story yes. But we didn’t point finger to anyone. [It’s] not a biased film.”
She continued in another tweet: “[You] know what happened to the other family. But, [h]ow about the [C]hiong’s? Do you know their life after? [It’s] an emotional set up.”
Have u seen the film? Guess not. Its based on real life story yes. But we didn’t point finger to anyone. Its not a biased film. https://t.co/aNvdrQkHSk
— Meg Imperial (@megimperial) July 13, 2018
U know what happened to the other family. But, How about the chiong’s? Do you know their life after? Its an emotional set up. https://t.co/aNvdrQkHSk
— Meg Imperial (@megimperial) July 13, 2018
Imperial ended her Twitter spat with the netizen by saying: “Explaining to close minded [people] be like… [emoji] why would we make [a] statement if our movie is not about that? Ano trip lang (As if it’s just a whim)?”
Explaining to close minded be like… 🤭 why would we make statement if our movie is not about that? Ano trip lang? https://t.co/1qgvEuN51B
— Meg Imperial (@megimperial) July 13, 2018
“Jacqueline Comes Home (The Chiong Story)” is slated for release on July 18. The timing of its release date curiously and nearly coincides with the 21st anniversary of the Chiong sisters’ disappearance on July 16. JB
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Donnalyn Bartolome, Meg Imperial star in Viva Films’ Jacqueline Comes Home (The Chiong Story)
The Chiong sisters murder case to premiere in cinemas July 18