What’s behind the Narita airport incident?

Curtain-raisers:
• Congratulations to Jesse Lucas for giving the Philippines its only award at the 2005 Los Angeles Screamfest International Horror Film Festival where he won the Best Musical Score Award for Sigaw (The Echo), the Philippine entry directed by Yam Laranas. The board of judges included Stan Winston (director-producer of Terminator 3), Tobe Hooper (writer-director of Poltergeist and The Chainsaw Massacre) and Jeff Katz (Newline Cinema executive producer). Last year, Jesse’s music for Mario O’Hara’s Babae sa Breakwater was also recognized at the Cannes International Film Festival.

• Congratulations, too, to lawyer Joji Alonso, producer of Minsan Pa (starring ex-lovers Jomari Yllana and Ara Mina) which was named Best Picture at the recent Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA).

• Also, to Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan who graduated from UP (Diliman) with a Master’s Degree on Family Life and Child Development. It was nothing short of an Herculean achievement for Maricel who finished the course while doing her part-time showbiz career, speaking at seminars on advancing the parenting cause, and taking care of husband Anthony Pangilinan and their four children (Ella, Dony, Hannah and Benjamin). Maricel writes a column about family and motherhood for The STAR’s Life Section.

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Rudy Fernandez was all over the TV news yesterday for allegedly beating up one-time starlet (and CloseUp model) Robby Tarroza. At first glance, especially if you don’t know the background of the whole mess, you would conclude that Rudy was the "victimizer" when in fact he’s the victim –or, to be more accurate, one of the victims (who also included Alma Moreno and company).

Did Rudy "beat up" Robby without rhyme or reason?

Nope, he didn’t.

What happened was this (according to those in the know):

Alma Moreno (with her two kids) and Rudy, along with, among others, Justin de Leon (a Viva Hot Men member), were held by Immigration officials as soon as they arrived from Manila at the Narita airport last Thursday. The group reportedly went to Japan for a show sponsored by a Filipino group there.

It was a case of "from airport to airport," meaning being sent back to wherever you come from as soon as you land.

"They were detained overnight," said the Funfare source. "They were booked at a nearby hotel, all right, but they had to pay the bill. Alma’s kids, who were excited to visit Disneyland, were crying not only from fear but also from hunger because they hadn’t eaten from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m."

Why was the group detained?

"Viva, with which Justin is under contract, wrote a complaint letter to the Japanese Embassy," said the Funfare source. "Apparently, Viva didn’t want Justin to perform with the group organized by Alma Moreno. The original letter mentioned only Justin but after the Viva secretary wrote it, Robby Tarroza (said to be an adviser for Viva Concerts) inserted daw the names of Rudy and Alma, and sent it posthaste to the Japanese Embassy where Robby has friends, he being a booker of Filipino entertainers/artists in Japan, together with partner Joed Serrano. The Japanese Embassy in turn alerted the Immigration officials at the Narita airport."

Surprisingly, Justin de Leon cleared through Immigration without any problem.

It’s not the first airport-to-airport case involving a Filipino artist. Not too long ago, Jay-R also suffered the same fate because of his own kababayan, so to speak, pulling the rug from under his feet. During the war, these "squealers" were known as makapili who wore a bayong with only their eyes showing from behind cutout circles while pointing a finger at Filipino guerillas.

Well, this is peace time and the same "crab mentality" is alive and well.

The other day, Rudy and Robby’s paths crossed and what reportedly happened was what you and I saw in the TV newscast.

And where is Joed Serrano?

"He’s still in Japan," said the Funfare source, "probably trying to figure out the big, big scandal – and embarrassment to Rudy and Alma and company – that his good friend and partner Robby Tarroza had reportedly precipitated."

More Filipino achievers abroad

Here are more additions to the growing list of Filipino achievers abroad, contributed by Funfare readers:

• From WLC: In the So You Think You Can Dance finals here in the US, Pinay contestant Melody Lacayanga finished second (but first among the female contestants) to her best friend and dancing partner Nick Lazzarini, despite the fact that Melody was the judges’ obvious pick.

• From Dominic Agcaoili: Two Filipinos are making waves in the US. One is Imelda dela Cruz who was featured in the No Opportunities Wasted show on the Discovery Channel where her husband, Gabe Cohen, did everything to help Imelda realize her dream of performing in a big venue. The other musician is Roger Leo Camero who is a member of the punk band No Motiv. He’s the only Filipino in the band which has recorded four albums. The group’s music has been included in the movie Not Another Teen Movie and in an ESPN show/segment.

• From Ramon Jacinto-Socco, Jr., executive director of CEAE (Center for Environment Awareness and Education, Quezon City): Children of the Mountains won the Mark Haslam trophy, an international award at the Environment Film Festival in Toronto first week of October. On hand to receive the award were Jukka Holopainen, Boyd Pickup and Margie Babon from the CEAE and Apocalypse Point Productions.

Seventy-nine films from more than 31 countries were in competition.

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