Underplayed Gems

Arrest: Pat. Rizal Alih – Zamboanga Massacre (1989)

Arrest: Pat. Rizal Alih – Zamboanga Massacre poster
Original title
Arrest: Patrolman Risal Alih, Zamboanga Massacre
Directed by
Carlo J. Caparas
Genre
action, crime, drama
Country
Philippines
Elsewhere
IMDb
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The catalogue in 3D

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How it feels

This is a film based on a real 1989 siege in Zamboanga. It follows a patrolman named Rizal Alih during a violent incident at Camp Cawa-Cawa. The movie was made quickly after the actual events and focuses on the action of the siege.

tensefast-pacedintensegrimsomberdocumentary-likeaction-heavy

What happens

Arrest: Pat. Rizal Alih – Zamboanga Massacre (marketed as Arrest: Patrolman Risal Alih – Zamboanga Massacre) is a 1989 Filipino action film directed by comic book writer Carlo J. Caparas and written by Caparas and Tony Mortel. It stars Ramon Revilla as the titular patrolman, alongside Vilma Santos, Eddie Garcia, Marianne Dela Riva, Paquito Diaz, Raoul Aragonn, Baldo Marro, Charlie Davao, and Rosemarie Gil. Based on the Camp Cawa-Cawa siege in January 1989, the film was written and shot within the span of two months, receiving criticism from the chief of the Civil Relations Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines who faulted it as "premature" and potentially inappropriate. Zamboanga Massacre was released by The Golden Lions Productions on March 8, 1989. Caparas considers Zamboanga Massacre to be among the films of which he is the proudest. The real Alih only became aware of the film's existence in 2011 while in prison at Camp Crame, and the year after he filed a libel complaint against Caparas and his wife, executive producer Donna Villa, for maligning his reputation. The case was ultimately dismissed by the Quezon City Prosecutor's Office as the prescription period for filing charges had already expired. The film is streaming online on YouTube. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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