The comeback

NOW FILMING: Ang Pagbabalik ni Leon Guerrero (The Return of Leon Guerrero).
Opening scene: A flashback. Fred Panopio warbling the Leon Guerrero theme on the background.
Tall in the saddle, Leon Guerrero rides his white steed into a golden sunset. His job well done: his people liberated from the political warlords, saved from nature’s rampage.
Segue to: Clips of the Mt. Pinatubo eruptions juxtaposed with Leon Guerrero opening his poultry farm to feed a starving population. Scenes of rampaging lahar dissolve to Leon Guerrero wading waist deep in swirling mud, an old woman in his arms, dissolve further to Leon Guerrero on a helicopter ladder plucking an old man from the top of a coconut tree.
Segue to: Clips of masses upon masses of people mobbing Leon Guerrero – women of all ages hugging, kissing him; Leon Guerrero doing the ritual respectful kissing of the hands of the elderly – dissolve to Leon Guerrero riding his way to the Capitol, and arriving there, doing some horsemanship, capped by a tumbling from the saddle and landing squarely on his feet. Pan camera to the crowd roaring in delight.
Back to the opening scene: From a panoramic shot of a Leon Guerrero silhouetted by the golden sunset, move to a close-up of Leon Guerrero with the faintest trace of a smile, self-contented for a job well done. Up tempo now of the Leon Guerrero theme.
Then total black out.
Act 1. Scene 1. Close up shot of a clerico-fascist – the contravida (anti-hero) – repeatedly saying: “E ku mayabang, E ku mayabang (I am not a braggart)” even as his stance shows otherwise , juxtaposed with clips of his ranting and raving in a face-to-face confrontation with his critics.
Scene 2. Close up and medium shots of the contravida repeatedly saying
“Konsiyensiya, konsiyensiya (Conscience)” juxtaposed with multiple shots of the Balas boys at their picketline and capped with shots of the lady aide – the character actress a la Bella Flores -- dancing in delight.
Scene 3. Close up shot of the contravida, panning to Bella Flores, er, the character actress, by his side, with the phrases “God willing” and “good governance” repeatedly said off cam, juxtaposed with scenes of the people of Minalin rallying against their own at the Capitol, capped with the lamentations of the Crying Madonna who was once the contravida’s patron.
Scene 4. Clips of protest rallies of the Balas boys, calling for the resignation of the contravida and Bella Flores. Multiple clips of the Balas showboats and streamers. Close ups of A-1 stars at the rallies.
Scene 5. Clips of the 15,000 strong Recall rally. Highlight the cameo roles of dramatic actor Jerry Pelayo, matinee idols Rosve Henson, Yeng Guiao and Willy Villarama, and for climax, the Crying Madonna again.
Scene 5. Clips of the Capitol siege by the truckers and the Balas boys segue to a raving but fearful contravida.
The scenes finally dissolving in red.
Act 2. Scene 1. Leon Guerrero mounting his faithful white steed again, riding towards the sunrise with the Capitol slowly emerging from the horizon.
Cut and print!
THIS IS the movie in many a mind with Leon Guerrero registering anew as a voter of Porac, Pampanga last Tuesday.
Can he make a blockbuster of a box-office hit again?
Not after the Bida ng Masa’s total collection of P155.626 million from quarry taxes in the 11 years that he ruled the Capitol ranged against the P319.338 million drawn during the 18 months of the administration of Gov. Eddie Panlilio.
The numbers don’t lie. Doubts come aplenty there as to Leon Guerrero’s much touted white blanket of integrity he said his mother birthed him in.
Then again, do not underestimate the gullibility of the Kapampangan. So warned a friend. For despite all those charges of plundering the provincial coffers, of abject ignorance bordering on utter idiocy, of maladministration, of chronic absenteeism, Leon Guerrero managed to stay high on his horse for three terms, and even bequeathed his post to his firstborn.
Yes, do not underestimate the gullibility of the Kapampangan.