"Animal" (2004): A Controversial Satire Against the Chiong Sister Case Inconsistencies [Warning: Read at Your Own Discretion]
After many years of self-studying the Chiong Sisters Case, I have written several entries on the matter. In fact, I created what I call an "almost-ever-updating" review on Give Up Tomorrow, which was a documentary that challenged my views. I was hesitant to write this review, as it involves another sensitive issue. Some time later, I wrote an entry discussing another aspect of the Chiong Case, specifically the issue of the late Federico "Toto" Natividad Jr. himself. I always thought it was an unethical issue. However, I was able to watch the film on YouTube (via a poor quality upload), and it doesn't seem that anyone from Natividad's estate is interested in fighting for the film's right to be distributed, not especially that Case Unclosed already came out in 2008, now available on GMA-7's official YouTube channel. Kara David did a meticulously good job featuring the Chiong mother, the Uy mother, and even another member of the "Run for Paco" campaign, the late Miguel "Juan" Del Gallego y Ripoll, who explained the frame-up process.
The controversial ban of the Butakal (1999) film in 1999 and its short re-release in 2004 as Animal
It was a curious case in 1999 when the film Butakal was supposed to have a September 1999 release from what I heard, but it was banned by the MTRCB. I remember reading back in high school in a Freeman newspaper about the Butakal movie being banned. It was an opinion section of the newspaper, which featured a picture of a hand cutting away a negative, on Butakal. I couldn't remember the whole summary. It was a film starring the late John Regala as Jaco, and the two bold actresses, Pyar Mirasol and Via Veloso, who play the Tan Sisters. Now, I'd like to warn all my readers, especially female readers, that the content will be sensitive. The movie is something I wouldn't recommend. However, I decided to write this anyway because it could highlight the hypocrisy, something deeply scarier than any Halloween horror movie. I would like to say I have already read the sloppily written Supreme Court decision on the Chiong Sisters' case. That means Atty. Naunsa Ba Ni needs to really let her common sense work, assuming she has one.
Back when I was at least 14 years old, it was difficult for my teenage mind to process it. I could remember an episode in ISPUP on ABC-5 (sadly, the episodes would be hard to recover now) when the late William Nepomuceno played as Joseph Marcelo Ejercito, aka Joseph Estrada. One of the parodied scenes was the removal of Butakal from the theaters. There have been a lot of movies worse than Butakal. For the sake of female readers, I'm not going to mention the titles. However, the movies that were worse involved plots involving infidelity and adultery--which makes the banning of the film even more questionable. If my memory serves me right, the amount of lewd movies dramatically increased during Estrada's reign from 1998-2001, where his reign was cut short by an impeachment trial, and his corruption scandals!
Why I feel Butakal (1999) itself was actually a satire meant to attack the Regional Trial Court's decision, and the people clamoring for death (lots of spoilers coming)
As I said, I'm spoiling the contents of the film, because the film itself is a degrading film. However, I also viewed it as a satire, no matter how inappropriate. This detail makes me think that the film was indeed, the very first attempt to use media to make you ask, "How was this even possible?" Just for a start, The film itself is full of stupid logic that would fail if one were to make a realistic fiction. The film was most likely not meant to be a realistic fiction, but an R-18 satire.
Court records show that on Aug. 25, 1999, while the appeal of the accused was pending before the court, Natividad, a producer and director of Venus Films, filed with the MTRCB an application for a permit to exhibit Butakal.
The MTRCB gave the movie an “R-Strictly for Adults” rating and issued a permit on Aug. 27, 1999.
The movie was advertised in major dailies and was scheduled for public viewing starting Sept. 8, 1999 in several moviehouses in Metro Manila and Cebu City.
On Sept. 1, 1999, spouses Dionisio and Thelma Chiong and Thelma’s sister, Marichu Jimenea, convinced that the movie was a depiction of the rape-slay, wrote the MTRCB requesting that it disapprove the showing of the film.
They objected to what they had been told were the brutal and lewd depictions of the rape-slay. They claimed that the misrepresentations were aggravated by the purely commercial motive of the producers.
The Chiongs added that the case on which Butakal was based was still pending before the SC and the showing of the film was sub judice.
Immediately, Armida Siguion-Reyna, who then chaired the MTRCB, asked Natividad to submit Butakal to a special screening in the presence of the Chiongs.
Natividad readily agreed, and the special screening was held.
After the special screening, Siguion-Reyna then informed the Chiongs that the MTRCB stood by its previous approval of the movie and only a restraining order from the proper court would stop its public exhibition.
On Sept. 6, 1999, the Chiongs filed with the RTC a petition for injunction with damages with prayer for the issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) against Natividad and the MTRCB.
The Chiongs alleged that the showing of the film would inflict “grave injustice and irreparable injury” to them and the rape-slay victims.
The RTC eventually ruled in favor of the Chiongs, making permanent the writ of preliminary injunction and ordering the MTRCB to cancel the permit to show Butakal on television or in any theater.
The court said the movie was “illegal, indecently immoral and against public policy and order.”
On Sept. 7, 1999, the RTC issued a TRO enjoining Natividad from exhibiting the movie for 72 hours and set for summary hearing the extended duration of the TRO.
After three days, it issued another order extending the TRO to 20 days.
On Sept. 12, 1999, Natividad filed an omnibus motion seeking the dismissal of the main petition and the lifting of the TRO.
Natividad argued that the Chiongs failed to exhaust available administrative remedies, the court lacked jurisdiction over the issue, and that the petition itself failed to state a cause of action.
The Chiongs filed an opposition to the omnibus motion. The MTRCB, for its part, filed a manifestation, saying it merely fulfilled its mandate under Presidential Decree 1986 when it issued a permit to Natividad’s movie.
Eventually, in an order dated Sept. 21, 1999, the RTC denied Natividad’s omnibus motion and set the hearing on the Chiongs’ application for preliminary injunction.
The trial court previewed Butakal during the hearing on Sept. 23, 1999. After the screening, the Chiongs asked the court to direct the seizure of the movie’s VHS master copy for safekeeping by the MTRCB. The court outrightly denied the oral motion.
As the TRO would expire on Sept. 27, 1999 without the court resolving their urgent application for preliminary injunction, the Chiongs filed a very urgent motion to resolve the pending plea even though they were fully aware that Natividad had not yet concluded his presentation of evidence. The court denied the urgent motion.
On Sept. 27, 1999, Natividad received a letter from the MTRCB informing him that the Office of the President had directed the MTRCB chairman to designate a committee of board members to conduct a second review and determine if there was any basis for the allegations that the film contained scenes that were libelous or defamatory to the Chiong sisters and their surviving kin, and if after review, the board, in its judgment, would find basis for the complaint, to impose such penalties.
The MTRCB then recalled the permit to exhibit and directed Natividad to submit the film to a second review, but the producer-director refused. The MTRCB then asked him to surrender the master copy of the film.
After yielding the master copy of Butakal, Natividad requested that the MTRCB release it. The agency refused, explaining that the videotape of Butakal had to remain with it until after the Chiongs’ administrative case, of which the master copy was material evidence, was terminated.
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| A diagram found on Facebook, apparently owned by the late Miguel "Juan" Del Gallego y Ripoll |
The film Butakal was obviously fictional and not meant to be a biopic of the Chiong Sisters' case, unlike Jacqueline Comes Home (more spoilers, as the film events will be discussed)
- The main antagonist, Jaco Lozano, was the only child of his mother, Mrs. Lozano (played by Caridad Sanchez). It should be noted that while John was indeed kind of fat, the "main antagonist" of the Chiong case, Francisco Juan "Paco" G. Larrañaga, was actually much fatter, and not known to be athletic or even competent. Paco's failed kidnapping attempt (if ever) would prove that he lacked the genuine mind to carry out such a scheme!
- It should be noted that the physical frames of the co-accused, including Davidson Valiente Rusia were much more frail. The Butakal movie purposely gave us incredibly muscular actors such as Gardo Versoza (Ferdie, the Rusia counterpart), Mike Castillo, Patrick Dela Rosa and Edgar Mande. This is a stark contrast to the people who allegedly committed the crime.
- More importantly, the Tan sisters, Cherry and Sandra, belonged to a family in Samar, not in Cebu. It should be noted that the Tan sisters had one younger brother, and they were only three in the family. This is a different structure from the actual Chiong sisters.
The Tan Sisters' naming: random names or purposely named that way?
- Cherry Tan sounds suspiciously similar to Cheryl Jimenea, a sister of Thelma Jimenea-Chiong, and a close friend of Estrada.
- Sandra Tan sounds suspiciously similar to Atty. Sandy Coronel is the lead defense for Paco himself. The real name of Sandy is actually Sandra Marie Olaso Coronel.
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| Rappler |
The way the criminal events that happened to the Tan sisters in Butakal have some scenes that make me question the Supreme Court decision even more
The Davidson Rusia stand-in, namely Ferdie
Or, July 15, 1997, while Rusia was loafing around at the Cebu Plaza Hotel, Cebu City, Rowen approached him and arranged that they meet the following day at around 2:00 o'clock in the afternoon.[18] When they saw each other the next day, Rowen told him to stay put at the Ayala Mall because they would have a "big happening" in the evening. All the while, he thought that Rowen's "big happening" meant group partying or scrounging. He thus lingered at the Ayala Mall until the appointed time came.[19]
Back before Cebu Plaza was Marco Polo, it was already a place known for its tight security. Why would a low-level thug loiter in that place? Wouldn't it make more sense if David loitered in places like anywhere in the downtown of Cebu, like Junquera, for example? Junquera is a place known for its criminal activity. Lodging houses in Cebu are the ideal places where someone can do recruitment. I've seen recruitment places. For example, a lot of reports can already be heard that criminals get caught in lodging houses. Cebu Plaza isn't the ideal place for known bad boys to hang out in, nor would it be the ideal place for recruitment. A criminal mastermind will prefer to use places like dirty, unkempt lodging houses in Cebu, no matter how stinky they are, to be a good place to recruit or meet people!
An analysis of the initial sex party in David's narrative vs. how Butakal managed to "fix it"
On the night of July 16, 1997, sisters Marijoy and Jacqueline Chiong, who lived in Cebu City, failed to come home on the expected time. It was raining hard and Mrs. Thelma Chiong thought her daughters were simply having difficulty getting a ride. Thus, she instructed her sons, Bruce and Dennis, to fetch their sisters. They returned home without Marijoy and Jacqueline. Mrs. Chiong was not able to sleep that night. Immediately, at 5:00 o'clock in the morning, her entire family started the search for her daughters, but there was no trace of them. Thus, the family sought the assistance of the police who continued the search. But still, they could not find Marijoy and Jacqueline.[9]
Butakal included the raining part at the waiting shed, where the Tan sisters, Cheryl and Sandra, were waiting at the shed. We need to consider that July in Cebu, hits the rainy season. I couldn't determine how long the rains lasted. However, one thing is certain that roads will be so wet and mud was certain. In fact, it makes this whole claim even feel more preposterous:
At Fuente Osmeña, Josman parked the car near a Mercury Drug Store and urged Rusia to inquire if a van that was parked nearby was for hire. A man who was around replied "no" so the group immediately left. The two cars stopped again near Park Place Hotel where Rusia negotiated to hire a van. But no van was available. Thus, the cars sped to a house in Guadalupe, Cebu City known as the safehouse of the "Jozman Aznar Group" Thereupon, Larrañaga, James Anthony and James Andrew got out of the red car.
We need to think that it was raining. Why would any criminal, in the right mind, be speeding in the rain? In reality, Paco and his gang, if they kidnapped the Chiongs and had to ask for a van, that's a pretty dead giveaway. Another thing worth noting is that the cars speeding to Guadalupe, would've already caused the operation to bungle. The cars were overloaded. Speeding over there would be a disastrous decision. Now, if we look at another angle, namely the "safehouse" in Guadalupe!
The film offered some "fixes" which probably mocked Rusia's testimony. This one made me laugh:
Larrañaga, James Anthony and Rowen brought Marijoy to one of the rooms, while Rusia and Josman led Jacqueline to another room. Josman then told Rusia to step out so Rusia stayed at the living room with James Andrew. They remained in the house for fifteen (15) to twenty (20) minutes. At that time, Rusia could hear Larrañaga, James Anthony, and Rowen giggling inside the room.
Butakal spared no moment and got the David stand-in, Ferdie, to participate in the horrible act of rape. The warehouse was indeed big enough, with two different rooms that were spacious enough. Natividiad probably discussed the absurdity of filming in a set meant to mimic a boarding house. The whole rape party was filmed, which I believe wasn't easy to film. David being told to "step out" just feels so stupid, which was probably scripted, so he would look like he was the least guilty.
The ravine rape scene would defy common sense, given the weather conditions
Now, we move to the most distasteful part of the film. It wasn't easy filming the rape scene. David's Rusia. Just reading this makes me think could a rainy weather or the aftermath of it, allowed the rape to happen:
From the evidence of the prosecution, there is no doubt that all the appellants conspired in the commission of the crimes charged. Their concerted actions point to their joint purpose and community of intent. Well settled is the rule that in conspiracy, direct proof of a previous agreement to commit a crime is not necessary. It may be deduced from the mode and manner by which the offense was perpetrated, or inferred from the acts of the accused themselves when such point to a joint design and community of interest.[144] Otherwise stated, it may be shown by the conduct of the accused before, during, and after the commission of the crime.[145] Appellants' actions showed that they have the same objective to kidnap and detain the Chiong sisters. Rowen and Josman grabbed Marijoy and Jacqueline from the vicinity of Ayala Center. Larrañaga, James Andrew and James Anthony who were riding a red car served as back-up of Rowen and Josman. Together in a convoy, they proceeded to Fuente Osmeña to hire a van, and thereafter, to the safehouse of the "Jozman Aznar Group" in Guadalupe, Cebu where they initially molested Marijoy and Jacqueline. They headed to the South Bus Terminal where they hired the white van driven by Alberto, with Ariel as the conductor. Except for James Andrew who drove the white car, all appellants boarded the white van where they held Marijoy and Jacqueline captive. In the van, James Anthony taped their mouths and Rowen handcuffed them together. They drank and had a pot session at Tan-awan. They encircled Jacqueline and ordered her to dance, pushing her and ripping her clothes in the process. Meanwhile, Larrañaga raped Marijoy, followed by Rowen, James Anthony, Alberto, and Ariel. On other hand, Josman and James Andrew raped Jacqueline. Upon Josman's order, Rowen and Ariel led Marijoy to the cliff and pushed her. After leaving Tan-awan, they taunted Jacqueline to run for her life. And when Rusia got off from the van near Ayala Center, the appellants jointly headed back to Cebu City.
Not to mention this was also put more questions on whether or not it was possible to even stop by for barbeque and rum:
Thereafter, the group brought Marijoy and Jacqueline back to the white car. Then the two cars headed to the South Bus Terminal where they were able to hire a white van driven by Alberto. Ariel was the conductor. James Andrew drove the white car, while the rest of the group boarded the van. They traveled towards south of Cebu City, leaving the red car at the South Bus Terminal.
Inside the van, Marijoy and Jacqueline were slowly gaining strength. James Anthony taped their mouths anew and Rowen handcuffed them-together. Along the way, the van and the white car stopped by a barbeque store. Rowen got off the van and bought barbeque and Tanduay rhum. They proceeded to Tan-awan.[24] Then they parked their vehicles near a precipice[25] where they drank and had a pot session. Later, they pulled Jacqueline out of the van and told her to dance as they encircled her. She was pushed from one end of the circle to the other, ripping her clothes in the process. Meanwhile, Josman told Larrañaga to start raping Marijoy who was left inside the van. The latter did as told and after fifteen minutes emerged from the van saying, "who wants next?” Rowen went in, followed by James Anthony, Alberto, the driver, and Ariel, the conductor. Each spent a few minutes inside the van and afterwards came out smiling.[26]
This, of course, made me go even crazy that they wouldn't doubt Rusia's testimony, based on dubious witnesses:
But, more importantly, what makes Rusia's testimony worthy of belief is the marked compatibility between such testimony and the physical evidence. Physical evidence is an evidence of the highest order. It speaks eloquently than a hundred witnesses.[112] The presence of Marijoy's ravished body in a deep ravine at Tan-awan, Carcar with tape on her mouth and handcuffs on her wrists certainly bolstered Rusia's testimony on what actually took place from Ayala Center to Tan-awan. Indeed, the details he supplied to the trial court were of such nature and quality that only a witness who actually saw the commission of the crimes could furnish. What is more, his testimony was corroborated by several other witnesses who saw incidents of what he narrated, thus: (1) Rolando Dacillo and Mario Minoza saw Jacqueline's two failed attempts to escape from appellants; (2) Alfredo Duarte saw Rowen when he bought barbeque and Tanduay at Nene's Store while the white van, driven by Alfredo Caño, was waiting on the side of the road and he heard voices of "quarreling male and female" emanating from the van; (3) Manuel Camingao testified on the presence of Larrañaga and Josman at Tan-awan, Carcar at dawn of July 17, 1997; and lastly, (4) Benjamin Molina and Miguel Vergara recognized Rowen as the person who inquired from them where he could find a vehicle for hire, on the evening of July 16, 1997. All these bits and pieces of story form part of Rusia's narration. With such strong anchorage on the testimonies of disinterested witnesses, how can we brush aside Rusia's testimony?
After all, given a post-rain condition. one must ask could was this all possible in a rainy and/or muddy environment?
Inside the van, Marijoy and Jacqueline were slowly gaining strength. James Anthony taped their mouths anew and Rowen handcuffed them-together. Along the way, the van and the white car stopped by a barbeque store. Rowen got off the van and bought barbeque and Tanduay rhum. They proceeded to Tan-awan.[24] Then they parked their vehicles near a precipice[25] where they drank and had a pot session. Later, they pulled Jacqueline out of the van and told her to dance as they encircled her. She was pushed from one end of the circle to the other, ripping her clothes in the process. Meanwhile, Josman told Larrañaga to start raping Marijoy who was left inside the van. The latter did as told and after fifteen minutes emerged from the van saying, "who wants next?” Rowen went in, followed by James Anthony, Alberto, the driver, and Ariel, the conductor. Each spent a few minutes inside the van and afterwards came out smiling.[26]
Then they carried Marijoy out of the van, after which Josman brought Jacqueline inside the vehicle. Josman came out from the van after ten minutes, saying, "whoever wants next go ahead and hurry up." Rusia went inside the van and raped Jacqueline, followed by James Andrew. At this instance, Marijoy was to breathe her last for upon Josman's instruction, Rowen and Ariel led her to the cliff and mercilessly pushed her into the ravine[27] which was almost 150 meters deep.[28]
As for Jacqueline, she was pulled out of the van and thrown to the ground. Able to gather a bit of strength, she tried to run towards the road. The group boarded the van, followed her and made fun of her by screaming, "run some more" There was a tricycle passing by. The group brought Jacqueline inside the van. Rowen beat her until she passed out. The group then headed back to Cebu City with James Andrew driving the white car. Rusia got off from the van somewhere near the Ayala Center.[29]
The filming was probably done at 7:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. Several scenes may have been filmed several days apart. The scene had to be carefully done. However, David's narrative said that they were having a pot session with alcohol. It's already a perfect recipe for disaster for several reasons. A ravine at that time of the rape, would've already been subjected to very cold temperatures. Given the rainy season, the ravine would've been a very muddy place. Mixed with the drugs and alcohol, one can say that everyone who did the rape would no longer have a concentrated effort. It would be easier for me to do some difficult math problems right now than it would be for me to do a concentrated crime where I'm under the influence of drugs and alcohol!
Traveling to Carcar given the 1999 context after a heavy rain, was a lot harder, than today, in 2025. Butakal filmed the rape party's climax in a dry environment. To add some ridicule, it was necessary for the past to "put back their clothes on", probably because of this part of David's narrative:
There were other people who saw snippets of what Rusia had witnessed. Sheila Singson,[30] Analie Konahap[31] and Williard Redobles[32] testified that Marijoy and Jacqueline were talking to Larrañaga and Josman before they were abducted. Roland Dacillo[33] saw Jacqueline alighting and running away from a white car and that Josman went after her and grabbed her back to the car. Alfredo Duarte[34] testified that he was at the barbeque stand when Rowen bought barbeque; that Rowen asked where he could buy Tanduay; that he saw a white van and he heard therefrom voices of a male and female who seemed to be quarreling; that he also heard a cry of a woman which he could not understand because "it was as if the voice was being controlled;" and that after Rowen got his order, he boarded the white van which he recognized to be previously driven by Alberto Caño. Meanwhile, Mario Miñoza,[35] a tricycle driver plying the route of Carcar-Mantalongon, saw Jacqueline running towards Mantalongon. Her blouse was torn and her hair was disheveled. Trailing her was a white van where a very loud rock music could be heard. Manuel Camingao[36] recounted that on July 17, 1997, at about 5:00 o'clock in the morning, he saw a white van near a cliff at Tan-awan. Thinking that the passenger of the white van was throwing garbage at the cliff, he wrote its plate number (GGC-491) on the side of his tricycle.[37]
Wasn't it that Jacqueline's clothes were torn off? How can Jacqueline still be running away with a torn blouse (and pants) if her clothes were torn off? Not to mention, even her mother, Mrs. Chiong, admitted that Jacqueline couldn't run far because hereye grade was 500. Basically, Jacqueline couldn't run far! This information is taken from Case Unclosed episode on the Chiong Sisters. Jacqueline would've lost her glasses if ever she was raped. In short, Jacqueline would've probably been easily stopped, making it easy for the Chiong 7, to get rid of the body. However, again, given the muddy environment, I don't think anyone in the right mind wiould be driving a tricycle dead at night. If somebody did, that person would've already fallen over, given Carcar's underdeveloped status at that time, compared to today!
The fact that the cast put their "clothes back on" is a narrative, that was probably meant to mock the tricycle driver's testimony. It was a covenient way. It was probably also done so everyone can rest for the next day, with their clothes on. However, it seemed like the whole scene was filmed just to make fun of Mario's testimony. What was missing though was someone who wrote down the number. It was also 5:00 in the morning, which meant it was probably still kind of dark for Manuel Camingao to see the plate number. In reality, it could've been any white van but hidden forces made Manuel lie!
As that scene concluded to the escape, it should be noted that Jaco never left Samar in Butakal. It's a far cry from Paco who was in Manila, only came to Cebu on July 17, 2025, after the incident happened--the records were ignored for a more emotional narrative. After all, the adjustments Nativadad made such as the creation of a "Jaco HQ" and filming on dry ground for hte ravine, were actually born out of necessity, not simply artistic choice. Natividad probably wanted to make a seemless transition between the warehouse rape and the ravine. However, Natividad may have seemingly decided to put a day apart, to add the question, "Could the gang have done all that in one sitting?"
The fact that Jaco never left Samar in Butakal allowed his downfall to be easier. Of course, it was laughable that Sgt. Davide got information from just hearsay, and the crooks fell down just like that. However, the reality was, criminal law is far more complicated. The unrealistic portions probably were meant to mock people's demand for instant justice. The unrealistic turn of events were meant to be nothing more than a mock against the trial of the decade, which was actually the mistrial of the decade.
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