For over 20 years, Kapamilya actor Jake Cuenca has triumphed in a range of roles—from coming-of-age and fantasy to drama and romance—proving he seizes every acting opportunity regardless of the genre. He rises to the challenge once more, stepping into the villainous yet tragic shoes of the unpredictable Edong Santiago in “What Lies Beneath.”
Jake’s acting prowess reveals multiple layers of mastery every time he embodies Edong, whose journey spans from being a loving son and brother, a young fighter against the abusive, a wrongfully accused boy, and ultimately, a vengeful man.
To define Edong as merely a villain would fail to capture the depth of his character—a grieving individual striving for justice so that no one can ever hurt him again.
Catch these five remarkable performances of Jake as Edong, bringing the notorious fugitive to life with chilling precision.
#1: Wolf in sheep’s clothing
Edong’s fourteen years inside Bagumbayan Prison shaped him into an even more formidable figure, having endured multiple abuses before emerging as the “king” of the inmates—helping wardens maintain order through hidden violence and leading the Bible study.
In one scene, as he reads Bible verses aloud, viewers are drawn into the possibility that his good nature might finally resurface—particularly when he reflects on how he once felt consumed by anger, only to realize it blinded him, and eventually let it go in search of enlightenment.
However, things take a darker turn, as Edong’s idea of enlightenment actually involves righting his wrongs through merciless revenge. Throughout the anticipated episodes, he meticulously crafts his own version of poetic justice, strictly living by the principle of “an eye for an eye.”
#2: Edong exacts revenge on Esther
Among those Edong has long awaited to punish is Esther (Malou Crisologo). In the show, Esther is known as a devoutly religious figure in the town of Amurao, but behind her pious reputation lies a greedy streak, embezzling funds from her school alumni and church donations.
Her hypocrisy reaches its peak when she accuses the young Edong (Renshi de Guzman) of being the prime suspect in Louisa Mae Soria’s (Mutya Orquia) untimely murder. Though the truth unravels, with Esther choosing to lay the blame on Edong due to her fear that he would expose her to the authorities.
When Edong finally tracks her down in a distant church in Bataan, he takes advantage of the night’s silence. With Esther all alone, he grips her hands as brutally tight as he could, forcing her to confront her sins that stole not only money but years of Edong’s life. Satisfied by the intensity of her pain, he leans close to her face, twisting her arm until it breaks.
#3: Edong’s targets
Having ended the lives of Celestino (Bart Guingona) and Esther, Edong turns his attention to his next vengeful targets: Erica (Kaila Estrada), Beth (Charlie Dizon), Alice (Janella Salvador), and Mel (Sue Ramirez)—all of whom played a part in his unjust incarceration.
Inside his hidden lair within an abandoned junkyard, Edong grips an axe, intoxicated by hatred as he gazes wickedly at each photo of the women.
For Beth, he seeks to make her life more unbearably bitter; with Mel, he intends to badly stain her public image; for Alice, he craves more tears of suffering; and with Erica, he wants her to taste his own version of the law that destroyed him.
#4: The ruthlessness of Edong
Edong’s brokenness is truly a devastating sight—so deep and insatiable that even acts of kindness, like those from Dolores Candelaria (Malou de Guzman), cannot reach him.
After disappearing during a police pursuit by jumping into a river, Edong floats downstream, near Dolores’ small hut. Over the following days, the two slowly warm to one another, connecting over their shared pains of surviving abusive households and grieving for lost loved ones.
One night, when Dolores discovers Edong’s true identity as a fugitive and murderer, she attempts to leave before she becomes another casualty—but he catches her, feeling betrayed.
Overcome with frustration that she cannot understand his mission for revenge, Edong sheds tears before ultimately strangling her to death.
#5: Edong’s condemnation
Truly unstoppable in his malicious pursuits, Edong continues to wreak havoc on the lives of Erica, Beth, Alice, Mel, Liezel (Mary Joy Apostol), and Angelo (Marlo Mortel), leaving a trail of collateral damage in his wake.
His latest acts are especially brutal: Laurence Kyo (Chris Tan) is left comatose from a savage slash to the neck, while Steve Kyo (Christian Ty), Lucas’ only best friend is murdered. The Kyos are tied to Lucas (JM de Guzman) as supporters of his business—but Laurence was the one who would keep Lucas on a tight leash, always ready to threaten him by killing Edong if he ever dares to separate ways.
Seeing Lucas spiral down a dangerous path, Edong vows to correct his little brother’s rash decisions, including removing Mel from Lucas’ life after discovering their intimate photo.
Immerse yourself in more of Jake’s frightening side as Edong in “What Lies Beneath,” airing weeknights on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live (KOL), A2Z, ALLTV2, and iWant.