PNP chief admits being fan of ‘Facifica Falayfay’

Director General Nicanor Bartolome

MANILA, Philippines—Even the unflappable Director General Nicanor Bartolome of the Philippine National Police (PNP) counts himself a fan of Facifica Falayfay.

The police chief on Wednesday paid tribute to the late actor Dolphy, or Rodolfo Quizon in real life, saying he regularly enjoyed the latter’s movies and TV sitcoms as a child.

“I know all his movies, like Dolphinger, Facifica Falayfay, Captain Barbell… I saw all of them as a child,” Bartolome said of the actor’s movies in the late 1960s.

“And every weekend, in fact, I got to watch even his long-running sitcoms like John and Marsha and Home Along Da Riles,” he said in a chance interview with reporters.

The 55-year-old Bartolome said Dolphy was a great loss not only to show business but also to history because of the joy he was able to bring to so many people’s lives.

“Dolphy will remain in our consciousness. Even now that he’s gone, the space he created in the minds of every Filipino who ever watched his performances will stay alive,” he said.

“Definitely, Dolphy will be forever in the heart of every Filipino,” Bartolome added.

The PNP chief said the police organization would do whatever would be necessary to maintain peace and order during Dolphy’s wake and burial.

“Last night (Tuesday), immediately after we heard the passing away of Dolphy, I called Director General Alan Purisima of the National Capital Region Police Office, and in fact I also called the chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority so that we can put a coordinated effort in securing traffic and crowd control,” he said.

The PNP would also deploy officers to the places where the late comedian’s remains would be brought, including Heritage Park in Taguig City and the ABS-CBN compound in Quezon City, Bartolome said.