Nasaksihan ng PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) kamakailan ang isa sa magiging highlight ng pelikulang Sigwa kung saan naganap ang isang matinding confronation scene among its major characters.
Nag-focus kami sa tauhang ginagampanan ni Tirso Cruz III, bilang si Oliver, na naging traydor sa kanyang mga kasamahan upang makamit ang isang mataas na puwesto sa gobyerno.
Sa kinunang eksena, may panunumbat at sampal na natamo si Pip mula kay Zsa Zsa Padilla, bilang si Cita, isang kasamang aktibista noong panahon ng Martial Law (early '70s) na nagdusa sa piitan sa loob ng maraming taon sanhi ng pagkakasuplong ni Oliver (Pip's character, ginampanan ni Marvin Agustin sa umpisa ng kuwento).
Early in the story, ang character ni Cita ay ginampanan ni Pauleen Luna. Ang kay Dawn Zulueta naman, bilang Dolly, ay ginampanan ni Megan Young. Si Dolly ay isang balikbayan na siyang punto-de-vista ng kuwento ng pelikula.
Sa shooting ng pelikula sa isang funeral parlor, sa eksenang burol ng kanilang college professor (played by veteran character Tony Mabesa), nagtagpo ang dating magkakasamang aktibista at naganap ang matinding kumprontasyon. Kasama rin sa eksena si Jim Pebanco, bilang Rading, na ang younger character ay ginampanan ng aktor na si Jay Aquitania.
Matapos ang mahigit na tatlong dekada, ang mga tauhang ginampanan nina Pip, Zsa Zsa, Dawn, at Jim ay nananatili sa kani-kanilang mga ipinaglalabang prinsipyo para sa bayan, kundi man ang kakulangan o kawalan nito.
Matapos kunan ang partikular na eksenang ikinalugod ni Direk Joel Lamagan, tinanong ng PEP si Pip kung ano ba ang mga pagkakatulad at kaibahan ng ginagampanan niyang papel ngayon sa Sigwa.
"When you think about it... Yes, yung pagiging traitor, I've done that before, pero in a different context," sabi niya.
Matatandaang naging barumbado't traydor na kapatid din si Tirso sa Kahit Buhay Ko (bida si Rudy Fernandez). So effective was his performance in that film that he merited a Gawad Urian Best Supporting Actor in 1992.
"Oo, tarantado ako do'n," pag-sang-ayon pa ni Pip. "Pero in the context that is something political at saka factual. Most of it is factual, yung nangyayari talaga."
Ikinaka-inspire ni Pip ngayon ang pagganap sa naiibang role niya sa Sigwa. Aniya,"Gina-guide naman ako nina Direk Joel, 'tsaka nung writer, si Boni [Ilagan]."
Ang Sigwa ay finalist sa Cinemalaya 2010 Open Category.
FOR JINGGOY AND ERAP. Nabanggit na rin lang ni Pip ang tungkol sa kontekstong pulitikal ng kanyang character sa Sigwa, sumunod na itinanong naman namin ang kasalukuyan niyang partisipasyon sa kandidatura ng mga kaibigang reelectionists, tulad ng mag-amang dating Presidente Joseph "Erap" Estrada at Senator Jinggoy Estrada.
With much enthusiasm, naglahad si Pip ng kanyang matapat na saloobin hinggil sa mga sinusuportahang kandidato sa May 2010 national elections.
"I joined them for about...a number of motorcades and a couple of rallies," sabi ni Pip. "Senator Jinggoy proves himself worthy to be reelected. He's a working senator talaga."
As for former President Erap, he said, "Right now, everybody knows naman, it's an open book, he's still [ranked] third [in the surveys]. But the past weeks, what I gathered from surveys was that he picked up about 6 points. But still, that keeps him in the third place.
"It's hard to predict people," Pip added. "You always have to consider... Sabi nga nila, in our society, there's always the silent majority. And, of couse, there's a certain percentage na, I believe, there are some people who are basically undecided. And it's about more than one and a half months of campaigning. So, depende na lang siguro sa kanila. Kung sino ang magiging very clear yung definition niya, at yung magiging cause for wanting the position."
Mahalaga para sa mag-amang re-electionists ang suporta ng tulad ni Pip, among their other friends from the local movie industry.
"Yeah, to start off, pareho kong nakakasama sa industry, whom I've met for a long time," nakangiting saad pa ng former matinee idol turned award-winning actor.
Hindi man nagbabago ng kanyang loyalty para sa pamilya Estrada, mayroon din daw ibang sinusuportahang kandidato ng ibang partido si Pip.
"I have friends, other senatoriable candidates who are close friends and whom I know and believe in," sabi niya. "Which is the most important thing of all. Regardless of affinity, it's the track record of these senators, even the new ones. And you'd be surprised kung maririnig mo silang magsalita, e. If they're going to be true to their words, talagang worth it din silang ma-elect as senators."
ON NORA RECONCILING WITH ERAP. Isang kaibigang direktor ni Nora Aunor ang nagkomento na sa puntong ito o sa nalalapit na pagbabalik sa bansa ng Superstar, ay makabubuting makipagbati ito sa dating Presidente, na nakaalitan kasabay ng pagkakapababa sa puwesto ni Erap noong 2001.
"I think that is something personal," opinyon ni Pip. "I mean, I wouldn't be in a position to really give my comment right now. That's between them. But, of course, ako, in general, siyempre I would advise people, like, 'Kung nagkaroon man kayo ng differences, siguro it's high time that you sat down like mature people, na you can talk about it, and ilagay na lang natin sa context na, 'No one is perfect.
"Pagka gano'n, it's a matter of admitting to yourself that you have wronged. Or kung hindi, siguro mas maganda kasing malaman na wala kang kaaway, e. Mas maganda kung at peace ka.
"Sabi nga sa Bible, di ba, 'If there is something between you and your brother, you go and try to make peace. If he doesn't accept, at least, you've done your part.' So, you do your part and after that, you leave the rest to the good Lord," makahulugang pahayag ng aktor.
As to the possibility ng pakikipagbati ni Ate Guy kay dating Presidente Erap, Pip is non-commital.
"Basically, pag nandon kami [sa States], mostly we talk about the show, kung anong gagawin namin. Politics is out of the question. Pagka nag-uusap kami [ni Nora], 'hi and hello, kumusta ang lagay mo diyan, what's happening, ano ang balita sa atin? Ano'ng nangyayari?' Mostly [about] the industry, how's the industry doing."
As for him and Ate Guy?
"Ah, walang diperensiya sa amin," nakangiting sabi ni Pip.
Any possibility of re-teaming up with Nora?
"Well, depende," sagot ni Pip. "Sabi ko nga, it will depend on a lot of things. Na kung gagawa man kami, huwag yung for the sake of just doing it, because Guy and Pip. But for the sake of...it has to be something with a lot of meat, and well, depende how is it going to be done, who's going to do it. So, maraming factors involved."