Carlo Caparas: Virgilio Almario envies me

MANILA, Philippines - Komiks creator and filmmaker Carlo Caparas on Friday lashed out against renowned poet and literary critic Virgilio Almario, who has slammed the director and three others' controversial nomination for the National Artist title.

In an interview with ANC's Headstart on Friday morning, Caparas said he is envied by Almario, a National Artist himself and an accomplished literary figure.

"Alam mo Almario, Pambansang Alagad ka ng Sining, noong una kitang makita sa PUP, komo napakaraming estudyanteng nagpapapirma sa akin... nasa isang tabi ka na walang lumalapit sa'yo, kita ko na sa mukha mo ang inggit sa akin noong panahon na 'yun eh, na idinadaos mo ngayon," Caparas told Almario.

He added that Almario, a recipient of several Palanca awards, has a "protest syndrome."

"Palibhasa siguro alam niyang maliit ang kakayahan niya, ang protesta niya talagang kabi-kabila sa taong may kakayahan. Sinasabi ko nga sa kanya eh, komo, ang kanyang kakayahan napakaliit, yung taong makita niyang may malaking kakayahan, may malaking nagagawa sa sambayanan, kinaiinggitan nila eh, kabilang siya," added Caparas, who is known for popularizing massacre movies in the 1990s and for stories serialized in komiks and later adapted into soap operas.

Caparas further attacked Almario, questioning the renowed literary figure's popularity.

"Alam mo sa tula mo lang wawalo yata, walang nakababasang Pilipino. Sa tulang ginagawa mo ngayong National Artist ka, hindi mo ba ikinakahiya na hindi mo naiirepresent ang pangalan at mukha mo sa buong bansa?" said Caparas.

"Maglakad tayo sa daan, sinong nakakakilala sa'yo?" he continued.

Almario responded: "Ang pagiging national artist eh wala sa popularity."

The poet said he is not criticizing the kind of art Caparas is in. He clarified that what he is questioning is the komiks writer's accomplishments for him to be proclaimed as a National Artist.

He said if experts in popular literature will decide, they will choose as National Artist --over Caparas-- other figures in the komiks industry like Mars Ravelo, Francisco Coching, Tony Velasquez, and Larry Alcala.

In 2009, then Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo conferred the National Artist title to Caparas, theater group founder Cecile Alvarez, Architect Francisco Manosa, and fashion designer Pitoy Moreno. They were not among those shortlisted for the title.

Almario, former dean of the UP College of Arts and Letters, is among those who criticized the selection process, saying the four do not deserve the title.

In the same year of Caparas' conferment, several National Artists filed a petition at the Supreme Court, which issued this week a status quo ante order voiding the controversial proclamation of the four.