Robin Padilla says he’s a ‘soldier at heart,’ once dreamed of entering PMA

Image: Instagram/@robinhoodpadilla

Action star Robin Padilla attended the 65th founding anniversary of the Civil-Military Operations Regiment of the Philippine Army held last Aug. 17 at Fort Bonifacio, Taguig.

Padilla took to his Instagram page to share pictures from the event, telling his fans that he was invited by Col. Romeo Brawner Jr. himself.

“Isang karangalan po ito na makatapak ang isang Katipunero ngayon sa kampo ng Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas/Philippine Army,” wrote an elated Padilla last Aug. 18. “Napakasaya ko po sa imbitasyon na ito na ibinigay sa akin ni Colonel Romeo Brawner dahil sa puso ko po akoy isang sundalo.”

(It’s an honor for a Katipunero now to step into the camp of the Philippine Army. I’m so happy about this invitation given to me by Col. Romeo Brawner, because in my heart, I’m a soldier.)

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmpG82vHYox/?hl=en&taken-by=robinhoodpadilla

“Mula pa sa pagkamusmos baril at uniporme na aking suot at dala dala,” Padilla asserted.

(Since my childhood, I’ve been wearing the uniform and carrying guns.)

For Padilla, his dream of becoming a soldier goes a long way back. He talked about an instance when he was in Baguio as a child, saying that he’d often join marathons so he could run with the cadets of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA).

“Sa Baguio nong ako’y bata sumasali palagi sa marathon para makasabay sa mga PMAer dahil para silang mga kabayo kapag tumakbo sabay sabay ang paa at kilos ng kamay,” he recalled.

(When I was still a kid in Baguio, I always joined marathons so I could be with PMAers, because they run like horses, their arms and legs move in synch.)

Padilla, too, shared memories of when he’d see the cadets during their RR (rest and recuperation) at Session Road in Baguio.

“Kapag RR nila at tag ulan makikita mo sila sa Session Rd nakatayo ng napakasnappy sa gitna ulan nakakapote at naka sombrero hindi natitinag sa lamig dulot ng kabundukan,” he described.

(During their rest and recreation, and when it’s rainy, you can see them at Session Road, standing up and snappy even in the rain. They wear raincoats and hats, unmoved by the cold coming from the mountains.)

That image, for Padilla, never left his mind and pushed him to really strive to enter PMA: “Pinilit ko ang mother ko na makapasok ako sa PMA pero hindi ako napayagan dahil nong panahon na yun ay Jehovah’s Witness ako.”

(I pleaded to my mom to allow me to enter PMA, but I was not allowed because at that time, I was still a Jehovah’s Witness.)

But despite never entering PMA and becoming a soldier himself, Padilla shared that this dream still came to fruition when he starred in the film “Sa Diyos Lang Ako Susuko” back in 1990. As per Padilla, he played a scout ranger in the film and had to do a crash course in Tanay, Rizal.

During that crash course, Padilla shared his experience of patrolling at night and firing guns. He, too, had to drink an unpleasant concoction of softdrinks, condiments, saliva and an “unidentified floating object” during his “mock graduation”; it’s a “welcome solidarity drink” that apparently welcomed him into the brotherhood.

Meanwhile, when Padilla was shooting for the film “Mistah” (1994), he said the soldiers who stood as armory and military advisers for the film became his brothers.

“Kapatid na talaga ang turingan namin ng mga sundalong tumayong mga armory at military advisers sa pelikula,” he said.

(We really treat each other as brothers, those soldiers who stood as armory and military advisers for that film.) JB

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