Netizens are up in arms over Filipino theater and film actress Pinky Amador’s comments that the Philippines is “living in the season of the devil.”
Amador made the remarks during an interview with the Philippine Entertainment Portal (PEP) which was published today.
She is in the thick of promoting a new movie titled Season of the Devil (Ang Panahon ng Halimaw), a 4-hour musical shot in black-and-white about a government-supported militia that brings bloodbath to a Philippine village during the Martial Law years.
She explained her stand in the interview in a mix of Filipino and English, “Isn’t it true? It’s so simple. The minute you criticize something, you get slammed for your beliefs. That shouldn’t be the case. There should be a diversity of opinion. That’s just not happening now.”
Amador recalled being lambasted for protesting against the burial of former president Ferdinand Marcos at the Heroes’ Cemetery, where war veterans, presidents, and patriots are buried. “I got bashed for that,” she said. “That was my first experience.”
She also mentioned being criticized for her role in the 2016 play Loyalist Redux, where she played an Imelda Marcos fanatic who was dressed up like the former first lady.
In the interview, Amador brought up the plight of former Department of Justice Secretary and Senator Leila de Lima, one of Duterte’s staunchest critics, who is now serving time for alleged involvement in illegal drugs.
De Lima has been hailed by Amnesty International Philippines as the country’s most distinguished human rights defender.
Amador said: “Leila de Lima is in jail [but] the drug lords aren’t. There are too many inconsistencies. There’s too much violence happening. It’s worrying.”
An overwhelming majority of PEP’s followers criticized Amador for voicing her opinion.
Wrote John Jimenez in Filipino: “Pinky, so do you think that the previous administration are (sic) composed of angels? What’s this stupidity? Do you think most Filipinos are blind? Hey sister, you should eat coffee so that you’ll wake up!”
Totally going off tangent was a Facebook user, who uses the name Horich Hori, who wrote: “For those crazy drug users, Digong [Duterte] is the devil. Addicts have a hard time getting drugs so they’re going crazy and they’re blaming Digong. For them, politicians who protect drug manufacturers are saints. These politicians are from the opposition. Poor addicts, they don’t want to change.”
Cecilia Quisido wrote: “Pinky, you’re just not used to it [because] for the past 30 years oligarchs have lorded over the country. There are so many corrupt people. PRRD [Duterte] said in my time, there shouldn’t be any corrupt officials.”
A graduate of the Bristol Old Vic Theater School, Amador rose to prominence after becoming part of the original West End production of Miss Saigon in London.
