In its three years on air, a number of kontrabidas had already come and gone in “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo.” While most of them were hated until their very last breaths or appearances, there were probably a few who were able to gain at least slight admiration from viewers after eventually having a change of heart.
One of them was Brando Mondragon, compellingly portrayed by veteran action star Roi Vinzon, who was initially despised for his complicity in the corrupt dealings of the Guerrero family as their ally and go-to contractor for government infrastructure projects. This arrangement allowed them to embezzle public funds and divide the money among themselves as if it was rightfully theirs. Besides, there was also an instance when he even gave suggestions to the Guerreros and their other allies on how they could steal more from the people they were supposed to serve.
But due to an unexpected conflict between their families that was triggered by the clashes between Divina (Rosanna Roces) and Jackie (Angel Aquino), as well as between Rockyboy (Baron Geisler) and Miguelito (Jake Cuenca), Brando was prompted to do the unthinkable. He found the courage to turn against the Guerreros and expose them, awakening the Manileños and sparking their collective rage.
This prompted the Guerreros to go after them in pursuit of exacting revenge against them by completely silencing them. The Mondragons tried to escape from them but to no avail, as they subsequently found themselves in the middle of a three-way clash with the Montenegros and the Guerreros.
While Brando managed to finish off Jason (Paolo Paraiso), the dependable righthand man of Miguelito who led the attack of the Guerreros, he wasn’t able to defeat Ramon (Christopher de Leon) in their faceoff, as he was killed by him by thrusting a metal rod into his abdomen.
As his character reached its tragic end in the January 13 episode, Roi enthusiastically talked about his unforgettable experiences on being part of “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo” over the past three months in his exit interview with CCM Film Productions.
He began by sharing how happy he was to be working with everyone on the show, as he was able to build strong rapport with the directors and formed close friendships with his fellow cast members. He also praised the scriptwriters for doing a great job and gave special commendation to his co-star and director, Coco Martin, for skillfully handling every aspect of the production.
The legendary action star also commented on his character’s final scenes, saying that he was left speechless by how Brando’s story concluded, as he truly appreciated how it was written and executed. He likewise expressed his thrill over finally sharing a scene with Christopher de Leon, which was even more special since it was an action-packed fight sequence.
Roi went on to describe a typical day on the set of “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo,” recalling how every taping had kept them on edge in the best way possible. “Surprisingly, every shooting nasu-suspense kami kung anong mga lines namin. To tell you the truth, talagang hinihimay nila ’yong istorya, ’yong dialogue, ’yong lahat. Darating sa amin, fresh na fresh sa umaga. At saka okay na rin na nasanay ako sa konting minutes ang hihintayin mo tapos ito na, sasalang na kami,” he shared.
He also conveyed how he absolutely enjoyed exchanging lines with such superb co-stars, enthusing, “Napakagaling lahat nila, nakakanerbiyos! Minsan kasi akala nila ganoon lang. No, it’s not. Hindi kasi biro lalo na ‘yong mga ganitong kagaling na artista. ‘Yon bang ang gagaling talaga nila, bilib ako.”
With regard to the most memorable scene he’d ever done on the show, Roi disclosed that it was the celebratory dinner at the Guerrero mansion, where he, Rockyboy, and the other allies of the said family marked their victory in the recent elections. He divulged that it was actually shot on his first-ever shooting day, the very moment he learned about the role he would be portraying, which prompted him to utter, “Ibang klase ‘to.”
While Brando became a character that many viewers loved to hate, particularly by the taxpayers who were reminded of certain real-life personalities with similar actions as his, Roi shared that he still liked his role, nonetheless. For him, Brando served as a cautionary figure who helped highlight what is wrong and should never be emulated.
Roi also lauded the outstanding and impeccable production value of “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo,” noting that every scene and every episode made him feel as though he was constantly watching a grand finale. He was amazed that each shooting day seemed to involve a major sequence, with everyone on set fully immersed and committed to their respective roles.
At the same time, he was impressed as well by how the staff and crew ensured the safety and well-being of the actors, especially veteran thespians like himself. Thus, he expressed his heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to everyone for the care, support, and respect that they’d shown him and the other actors.
Of course, he didn’t miss thanking their co-star and director Coco Martin. “Direk, thank you so much. Sana ipagpatuloy mo ‘yong ginagawa mo sa amin at marami kang natutulungan,” he said, adding, “Lahat nasa kanya na, talent is there, everything is there.”
Now that Brando and Divina are now gone, how will Rockyboy react once he finds out about it? Let's see in the next episodes of “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo,” weeknights on Kapamilya Channel, ALLTV2, A2Z, iWant, and Kapamilya Online Live (KOL).