Bacolod short film “Manokan Country” selected to screen in Seattle

 

Wazzup Pilipinas?!

The Diwa Filipino Film Festival, in collaboration with the annual Pagdiriwang Philippine Festival, is returning to the Seattle Center Armory Loft 2 this June.

Among the 30 films selected to celebrate the Filipino spirit and diaspora is “Manokan Country,” a heartwarming short film that brings the flavors and resilience of Bacolod City to the Pacific Northwest.

As part of the “Sometimes You Just Gotta Laugh” program, “Manokan Country” will be shown on June 7, Sunday, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., together with “Guys! Action!” by Jem Catabijan, “Philip vs. The School” by Terrence Santiago, “Ambag” (Impact) by Mark Giddel Liwanag, and “Te Seguiré a la Oscuridad” by Joy Regullano.

Written and directed by Banjo Hinolan, “Manokan Country” is a 20-minute comedy-drama that captures the soul of Bacolod City’s culinary heritage.

The story follows Raul (Hector Gloria), a passionate restaurant owner fighting to save his family’s Chicken Inasal business from a ruthless real estate developer, Mrs. Lopez (Tex Romero).

To preserve his legacy and the community’s cultural heart against modernization, Raul organizes a high-stakes cooking competition. Supported by his daughter (Jerianne Panisales) and the local community, Raul must navigate sabotage and the delicate balance between tradition and innovation. Louis Dormido and Hayde Portal play supporting characters in the film.

Hinolan and Maria Althea Rose Mauricio co-produced “Manokan Country” as one of the 10 finalists at the Bacolod Film Festival in 2024.

Told in Hiligaynon with English subtitles, the film serves as an uplifting testament to Filipino resilience and the power of food to unite people.

The Diwa Filipino Film Festival is a community-centered event made possible by 4Culture and powered by Shunpike. By exhibiting independent films from the Philippine islands and beyond, the festival provides a platform for stories that celebrate the “Diwa” or spirit of the Filipino people wherever they reside. 

Senators Demand Bato's Surrender

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

The Ultimatum: No One is Above the Law

In a move that sends shockwaves through the halls of power, five prominent Senators have issued a blistering call to action: Philippine Senate Resolution No. 395. This isn't just a piece of paper; it is a formal declaration that the era of "protective custody" and political sanctuary has reached its end.

The Target: Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa

The resolution delivers a singular, uncompromising demand: Senator Dela Rosa must voluntarily surrender to proper authorities and face the judicial music.

The Moral & Legal Offensive

The document builds a relentless case against the idea of Congressional immunity, citing the very bedrock of the nation:

Public Office is a Public Trust: Reminding the chamber that sovereignty resides in the people, and every official—no matter how high-ranking—is accountable under the 1987 Constitution.

The Myth of the "Sanctuary": The resolution shatters the belief that the Senate can act as a shield. It explicitly states that the Senate has zero authority to provide sanctuary or "protective custody" from lawful arrest.

The Shadow of the Law: Citing Republic Act No. 9851, it highlights the primacy of judicial processes regarding crimes against international humanitarian law and humanity.

Precedent of the Peers: It points to history, noting that figures like Juan Ponce Enrile, Leila de Lima, and Antonio Trillanes IV all submitted to the judicial process. The message is clear: Why should "Bato" be any different?

The Final Decree

The Senate’s "sense" is now a roar for accountability. By urging a sitting Senator to surrender, the resolution reaffirms a singular, dramatic principle: The law does not bow to the badge, and the Senate will not be a hiding place for those the courts seek to find.

"Accountability applies equally to all public officials regardless of rank or position."

Copies of this resolution have been dispatched to the Supreme Court, the DOJ, and the PNP, signaling that the wheels of justice are no longer just turning—they are accelerating.

Shadows in the Senate: The Dramatic Stand-off of Senator "Bato" dela Rosa

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

On Monday, May 11, 2026, the halls of the Philippine Senate—usually a site of calculated legal debate—erupted into a scene of unprecedented political chaos. Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, the former police chief who spearheaded Rodrigo Duterte’s “War on Drugs,” made a sudden, dramatic appearance after months in hiding, only to find himself the target of an unsealed international arrest warrant and a physical pursuit through the legislative building.

The Return and the Chase

Dela Rosa had been a "ghost" in the Senate since November 2025, when rumors first swirled of a confidential ICC warrant. His return on Monday was timed for a pivotal leadership shakeup where he cast a vote to install Alan Peter Cayetano as the new Senate President, successfully ousting Vicente Sotto III.

However, the victory was short-lived. As the session proceeded, news broke that former senator Antonio Trillanes IV, accompanied by agents from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), had arrived at the Senate gates with a physical copy of an ICC warrant.

In a moment that has since dominated social media, security footage captured the Senator—nicknamed "The Rock"—bolting through the corridors. Dela Rosa was seen outrunning NBI agents and specialized personnel in a high-speed sprint to reach the plenary floor, seeking the institutional protection of his colleagues.

The Warrant Unsealed: "Crimes Against Humanity"

Hours after the pursuit, the International Criminal Court in The Hague officially reclassified the warrant as "public." The document, originally issued on November 6, 2025, by Pre-Trial Chamber I, details a grim list of allegations:

The Charges: Crimes against humanity of murder and attempted murder.

The Timeline: A "common plan" to "neutralize" (kill) alleged criminals spanning from November 2011 to March 2019.

The Findings: The Court found "reasonable grounds" to believe dela Rosa used his power over the PNP to facilitate killings, encouraged police to use "fictitious self-defense scenarios," and transferred "perpetrator" officers from Davao to other priority regions.

The Risk: The warrant was unsealed partly because dela Rosa allegedly labeled ICC cooperators as "traitors" and fueled "disinformation campaigns," posing a risk to witness security.

A Senate Under Siege

The confrontation has sparked a constitutional standoff. Following a motion by Senator Rodante Marcoleta, the Senate officially placed dela Rosa under "protective custody." Senate President Cayetano, in one of his first acts, affirmed that the chamber would shield dela Rosa until he exhausted all legal remedies, arguing that "only arrest warrants issued by Philippine courts" would be honored within the premises. Meanwhile, NBI Director Melvin Matibag confirmed that his agents would respect the Senate's custody but would remain on standby.

"I move that Senator Bato be placed under Senate protective custody... until this institution is able to do just the same," Marcoleta declared during the plenary.

Pandemonium in the Streets

Outside, the atmosphere in Pasig City is volatile.

Pro-Bato Rallies: Hundreds of supporters have gathered, leading to skirmishes with local police.

Violence Reported: Reports surfaced of protesters splashing water on vehicles and clashing with officers in a desperate show of loyalty to the Senator.

A Nation Divided: While critics of the drug war see this as a long-overdue step toward justice—following the 2025 arrest and transfer of Rodrigo Duterte to The Hague—supporters of the "Davao model" view it as an assault on Philippine sovereignty.

As of Tuesday, May 12, the Senator remains barricaded within the Senate walls. With his legal team filing a "Hail Mary" petition to the Supreme Court for a Temporary Restraining Order, the "Rock" is currently a prisoner of the very institution he was elected to serve, as the world waits to see if the gates of the Senate will eventually open to the ICC.