Serious coño problems

Posted on August 1, 2012 by CVS

Dude, I missed the screening of this, pare. (Sorry, I’m kidding.)
Seriously, I feel really bad I wasn’t able to watch the screening of Give Up Tomorrow last July 27 and 29 at Cinemalaya.

July 27th, I had already planned that trip to Tagaytay, and July 29th, a Sunday, was my rest day.
Give Up Tomorrow is a multi-awarded documentary by producer Marty Syjuco and director Michael Collins, who chronicle the story of Paco Larrañaga, a 19-year-old student who was accused (along with six others) of kidnapping, raping and murdering sisters Marijoy and Jacqueline Chiong in Cebu on July 16, 1997.

Even as 40 witnesses (including Larrañaga’s teachers and classmates at the Center for Culinary Arts in Quezon City) testified under oath that he was hundreds of miles from the crime scene, Paco and his co-accused were sentenced to death by lethal injection in February 2004.

On June 24, 2006, capital punishment was abolished in the Philippines, and in October 2009, Paco, a Spanish citizen, was transferred to the Madrid Central Penitentiary in Soto del Real, Spain, where he is due to serve his life sentence until 2038. By then he will be 61.

Then and now: Paco in a Manila jail (above) and recently in Spain (below) where he was allowed to watch the screening of the movie with his family.

Give Up Tomorrow hopes to prove the innocence of Paco Larrañaga, while exposing “a Kafkaesque extravaganza populated by flamboyantly corrupt public officials, cops on the take, and a frenzied legal and media circus. It is also an intimate family drama focused on the near mythic struggle of two angry and sorrowful mothers who have dedicated more than a decade to executing or saving one young man.” (Source)

I’m really hoping they will screen this again in Manila as two screenings at the CCP are really not enough.
If there’s anyone who knows of any future screenings in Metro Manila, please let us know.

To know more about the documentary, go to http://www.pacodocu.com/

guest

I know this story has been going on for some years now and I just recently came upon it (I know, SUPER late), anyway, I was reading several articles and I don’t understand why the court did not allow the testimonies of the witnesses for Paco to be entered for his defense. Why was it not admissable in court? I saw a trailer of the documentary and I do want to watch it. I don’t live in the Philippines but I grew up there. Just want you to know that the docu will be shown here in the US on PBS on October 4.

[Reply]
http://twitter.com/carlosceldran carlosceldran

Did you watch na? #GiveUpTomorrow

[Reply]
CVS Reply:
September 10th, 2012 at 11:32 PM
yes

[Reply]
Mac

Hi! U.P. Women in Law (UP Winlaw) will be sponsoring the screening of Give Up Tomorrow on September 5, 2012, Wednesday, 5:30 PM at the Cine Adarna, UP Film Institute.
Tickets at P100 each. For inquiries and reservations, please contact 09175064270 or 09175503993 :)

[Reply]
Clashnburn24

Dear Chuvaness, I am still shocked right now that most of us keep using the word Cono as “sosyal” upper class, mestizo… Yup, it’s a Spanish word but not flattering as we know, my colleagues here at Etihad told me that Cono means Pussy or sometimes used as a bad expression as Fuck! After learning that I just laughed and felt sorry for us thinking it’s a nice word….

[Reply]
CVS Reply:
August 5th, 2012 at 2:05 PM
lol. i know exactly what it means….

[Reply]
Monica Reply:
October 17th, 2012 at 9:08 AM
I doubt that the local use of the word cono to refer to “sosyal” people was ever meant to be flattering. It’s a derogatory term and the double meaning is deliberate.

[Reply]
Nina

read this. a Metro mag story about the Chiong Murder + interview of Paco’s mom http://stella-arnaldo.blogspot.sg/2009/09/revisiting-chiong-rape-slay-case.html

[Reply]
http://chuvaness.com CVS

The pirated online version, not worth it. You will miss out because of the subtitles. Some dialogues are in Spanish and Cebuano.

[Reply]
Andrea

It would be good if the court decision could be read so that people would understand how he got convicted in the first place. He may be innocent but he could have presented weak evidences. Those curious could always search pp versus larranaga in the web.

[Reply]
CVS Reply:
August 3rd, 2012 at 10:01 AM
are 40 alibis weak?

[Reply]
Ludel Reply:
August 3rd, 2012 at 12:00 PM
There were a lot of other witnesses willing to vouch that Paco was in Manila but the judge put an end to it. Two of my friends were lawyers for the defense. They, and the rest of the defense team, resigned in disgust and were promptly held in contempt. They were jailed for a few days. The Chiong family had the backings of then Pres. Estrada. They practically threw their weight around. Even now, the mother still does. While I commiserate with her for having lost 2 daughters, I also abhor her because she is uncouth, ill-mannered, and loud. She believes the world owes her a lot for her dead daughters and that she is entitled to act the way she does because of it.

[Reply]
Aina L. Reply:
August 3rd, 2012 at 1:33 PM
I think a loss that horrific and tragic would turn any sweet-tempered mother to an embittered husk of her former self. This mother lost two in horrific, tragic rapes and murders. I have no kids, but I swear to you, if this happened to you – it would change you and how you see and deal with things forever.

2 cents lang naman. I am not condoning her alleged behavior. I’m trying to touch on compassion.

Ludel Reply:
August 3rd, 2012 at 2:43 PM
You can ask around – nobody likes Mrs. Chiong. She practically hijacked the city prosecution office while the case was pending. Sorry for you if you crossed her path (even if it was not connected to the case) – she would hound you. Like I said, she is entitled to grieve her loss and avenge her daughters’ senseless killings. But there are limits to what she can and cannot do. And one thing she cannot do is to bully people. She is a bully.

Mon Reply:
August 7th, 2012 at 10:49 AM
http://elibrary.judiciary.gov.ph/decisions.php?doctype=Decisions+%2F+Signed+Resolutions&docid=12216163471437597838#sam - the supreme court decision which elevated paco’s sentence to death by lethal injection. still couldn’t see how they could have possibly ruled that it was not physically impossible for him to have gone to cebu and back to manila just to commit the dastardly act. such a sad story.

[Reply]
http://chuvaness.com CVS

thank you!!!

[Reply]
http://twitter.com/nikkiluna nikki luna

wish I could go and watch sad I have school. Bummer.

[Reply]
http://twitter.com/nikkiluna nikki luna

Free Paco!

[Reply]
http://twitter.com/katipunera cathy a. del rosario

i was in law school in cebu when this case came out, my cousin and his wife were witnesses for paco. i have no reason to believe they would lie about being with him. i believe he was set up and that our justice system is really screwed up. i wonder if they will ever be able to screen this in cebu. i hope they do.

[Reply]
CVS Reply:
August 2nd, 2012 at 3:29 PM
yes there is a cebu screening. try to find out through facebook or twitter @giveuptomorrow

[Reply]
http://chuvaness.com CVS

pls do email me at chuvaness@me.com

[Reply]
http://chuvaness.com CVS

please do!

[Reply]
http://twitter.com/heyitslei Lei Solito

My brother-in-law has similar story. But his has a happy ending… read: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/257961/lifestyle/people/from-criminal-to-doctor-in-criminal-justice

He was also featured sa Maalaala Mo Kaya.

Anyway, I also wanna see this movie. I hope it reaches Baguio City. #probinsyaproblems

[Reply]
CVS Reply:
August 2nd, 2012 at 10:20 AM
amazing story! where is he now? married with kids?

[Reply]
Lei Solito
Twitter: briandelro
Reply:
August 2nd, 2012 at 1:07 PM
Yes! Two kids and a very supportive wife who waited for him when he served sentence (girlfriend pa lang sya nun…7 or so years sya nag-antay). He’s now a professor in criminal justice at Michigan State University. Every year for 3 or 4 years now, he brings a couple of his students back here in the PH to show them how the prison system here works.

He’s coming back next year to teach 2 straight years here in the PH… Kasi he’s a Fulbright scholar, so he needs to do service after getting his PhD in Criminal Justice.

Manong Raymund has done a lot for the penal system. His Maalaala Mo Kaya story is uploaded in YouTube, I think. Featured a young John Lloyd Cruz. Greeting card ata yung title nun. Truly an inspiring story.

[Reply]
Joy Oh
Twitter: briandelro
Reply:
August 3rd, 2012 at 11:35 AM
that would be raymund narag. see link http://edicio.wordpress.com/2012/05/10/from-criminal-to-doctor-of-criminal-justice/
http://dontaskmetosmile.wordpress.com/ dontaskmetosmile

Hmmmmmm. Very interesting. What we usually hear about are the rich, privileged criminals who actually get away with the crimes scot-free. We never hear about the ones who have done nothing but become victims of politicians desperate to have someone convicted for them to look good.

[Reply]
Shirley

They’ll have screening at the UP Film Center for all the Cinemalaya films.

https://www.facebook.com/cinemalayagoesup

[Reply]
CVS Reply:
August 2nd, 2012 at 10:15 AM
i saw your link but I didn’t see this movie on their schedule. did you?

[Reply]
Shirley Reply:
August 2nd, 2012 at 1:26 PM
I asked a friend and they only held special screening during Cinemalaya pero it’s not part nga of the UP showing. Sorry for the paasa.

[Reply]
Ludel

It would interest you to know that three of the prosecutors in that case were appointed as judges while one was appointed as NBI director here in Cebu. The judge committed suicide.

[Reply]
Monica Iriberri Reply:
August 2nd, 2012 at 1:34 PM
Why?

[Reply]
Justabcd

Dear Ms. C.

Obviously this film was created by people who are friends with the Larranaga family.

But, if you ask ordinary Cebuanos (Paco is from Cebu) who have a brief encounter with Paco Larranaga
you will get a different sentiment.

[Reply]
CVS Reply:
August 2nd, 2012 at 9:57 AM
i still want to see it

[Reply]
CVS Reply:
August 2nd, 2012 at 10:20 AM
i think the filmmakers didn’t sugarcoat the fact that he had a notorious reputation. But being a bad boy doesn’t make you a murderer—especially if you’re not even in the crime scene. I still want to see it.

[Reply]
Wearyourstyle Reply:
August 9th, 2012 at 11:08 AM
I am a Cebuano myself and was in high school when Paco (in college) himself and along with his friends grabbed the skirt of my classmate from the car while she was walking in the street….let’s just say I don’t believe in his innocence.

[Reply]
CVS Reply:
August 9th, 2012 at 11:53 AM
please watch the movie. pulling a skirt doesn’t make you a murderer

[Reply]
Ana Maria Zamora

Sama ako when you watch!

[Reply]
CVS Reply:
August 2nd, 2012 at 9:58 AM
sure!!

[Reply]
RinaA

We’re trying to dload it online, pero it’s slow since konti lang yung seeds.

[Reply]
Love Delrosario 1218

I gots to watch Ms. C! Do share if you get any info on any future screenings. Thank you.

[Reply]
http://profile.yahoo.com/QPPMKSPUHIZC7UXMPCPKXDJE4Q Maria

Watched this at the Tribeca Film Festival in NY last year. Truly, truly moving…hope you get the chance to watch it. The filmmakers are looking for any opportunities for partnership to screen in the Philippines (academe, journalists, govt, etc) – https://www.facebook.com/giveuptomorrow

[Reply]
http://twitter.com/divasoria divasoria

i wanna watch this!

[Reply]

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