Manuel L. Quezon's grandson lashes out at Jerrold Tarog, Jericho Rosales for 'Quezon' film

Manuel L. Quezon’s grandson, Ricky Quezon Avanceña, slammed the “Quezon” film during the Q&A portion of a screening attended by the cast and filmmakers.

A video that has surfaced online captured Avanceña's tirade, where he could be seen asking director Jerrold Tarog whether the film was political satire or not.

Tarog answered yes, to which Avancena immediately asked, “So nagbibiro ka lang pala?”

“No, the topic’s serious,” Tarog said.

Avanceña then asked, “Joke lang pala?”

Tarog said, “We will leave that to the audience to decide if it’s something that they would want to process.”

Following this, Avanceña said, “So you admit, this is a satire?” He then turned to the audience and said, “So ‘wag natin papaniwalaan, joke pala ito. It’s a joke. It is satire.”

Lead star Jericho Rosales then stood up. “With all due respect sir, I understand your feelings. But this is a Q&A, sir, a Q&A for our film.”

Jericho asked Avanceña to give chances to other viewers to ask questions. “We’re gonna listen to you but there’s a space and time—” 

Avanceña cut him off, saying, “Jericho, ‘wag mo ‘kong ganyanin ah. Patapusin mo ‘ko, one minute, I’m done.”

A staff member also approached Avanceña, saying that other people had questions.

Avanceña continued to say that it was his third time watching the film and saw “all the comments and all the bashing” on social media.

“What you have opened, Mr. Tarrog, is a Pandora’s Box.”

Avanceña told the film crew and the audience to do their research as the film allegedy appears as “joke lang lahat eh.”

“Hindi niyo alam ang ginawa niyo. Dahil kayo, gusto niyo kumite ng pera, gusto niyo sumikat, sinalaula ninyo ang alaala ng isang pamilyang nag buwis ng buhay,” Avanceña said. “Anyway, tapos na ‘ko. Mahiya kayo.”

“China-channel ko ngayon ang aking lolo sa pagsabi ko sa inyo nito. P-nyeta kayo, mga p-tangina niyo. Mga kupal kayo!”

He then threw the mic before walking out.

On Facebook, Avanceña recounted the confrontation and said, “So, I'm not saying don't watch the movie, hayaan na natin kumita ‘yung mga bayarang p-ta na ‘yun sila. Watch it, and then join me in a social media defense mga Quezon followers.”

“Nobody said he was a hero, so labas sya sa kabaduyan ng 'Bayaniverse,'” he added. “He was a President, and the best ever most incorruptible.”

GMA News Online has reached out to TBA Studios through Instagram, Facebook, and email for their statement, and they said that they will be “releasing a statement soon.”

“Quezon” is the last installment of the “Bayaniverse” trilogy. It follows the life of Manuel L. Quezon, a lawyer and a soldier who became the President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines from 1935 to 1944, highlighting his tumultuous presidential campaign against Emilio Aguinaldo.

“Quezon” is currently showing in over 200 theaters nationwide. 

—JCB, GMA Integrated News