EJK references in ‘Trese’ are influenced by crime reports in the 2000s, says creator Budjette Tan

If you’ve already watched “Trese” on Netflix, then you would know that the series made a few allusions to extrajudicial killings.

The first case taken by Alexandra Trese, the demise of the white lady in Balete Drive, is a familiar scene in recent years — the dead body inside a police cordon in full view of onlookers on the street.

In an episode of “The Howie Severino Podcast,” creator Budjette Tan said his main references for the crimes in “Trese” were actually news headlines in Metro Manila back in the 2000s.

“As far back as 2003-2004, one of the things that caught my attention was the occasional victim of an EJK,” he said. “It felt like there was a season when this thing would happen, right? It wasn't every day. It would suddenly pop up in the news and they would always be this smallest piece of news.”

“It will be at the bottom of the fold of the newspaper or on like Page 4 of the newspaper. And it's just this little blurb of man found in trash bag, sign on him said ‘Drug pusher ako,’” he added.

Tan said he put up a blog called Metro Crime Scene and tried to play armchair detective, wondering who could be the suspects of these killings.

Another allusion to current events is in “Trese” episode four, when two police officers arrested a man and told Captain Guerrero that he “fought back” or in Filipino, “nanlaban.”

Meanwhile, in episode five of the English dub, Mayor Santamaria mentioned the words “Change is coming” — the election campaign slogan used by President Rodrigo Duterte’s political ticket in 2016.

According to Tan, this may be the show writers trying to keep the language current, but the stories are still the same from his own research back in the day.

“Back then, the words ‘nanlaban’ wasn't used. The words ‘Change is coming’ wasn't used. But it's the same,” he said.

“And at its core, Trese is a detective story,” he said. “Inevitably it will be about these things that we've been seeing in the headlines and I guess the unfortunate thing about it is it's still happening.”

“Trese” is the first Pinoy anime on Netflix. After its premiere on June 11, it reached no. 1 the Netflix Philippines chart and landed in the top 10 in several countries. — Marisse G. Panaligan/LA, GMA News