Metro Manila (CNN Philippines Life) —
For
Filipinos, crime stories are a staple of TV viewing.
Nightly, we are used to being shown a highlight reel
of CCTV footage documenting the latest shooting,
robbery, and kidnapping. The more sensational
stories find their way to public affairs shows, while
the more salacious ones are picked up by the
afternoon crime drama anthologies.
If it were the 1990s, Carlo J. Caparas would have
already produced a film on the year’s most
gruesome massacre. But digital platforms now give
creators and audiences more ways to explore these
stories in-depth. One just has to go through Netflix's
true crime genre for its rich array of hit original
documentary series. A few years ago, the podcast
series "Serial" infused new life to the format with its
investigative reporting and intimate approach to the
Hae Min Lee murder case. Local firms are starting to
experiment with audio, such as "Super Evil" (which
features the murder of Aileen Sarmenta and Allan
Gomez by then-Calauan mayor Antonio Sanchez in
its first season), and the independently-produced
"Stories After Dark."
These novel ways of storytelling provide fresh
perspectives on crime’s multifaceted nature not
often seen in the evening news. After all, each crime
gives insights not just on the criminal’s mind, but on
the society they belong to and the institutions that
govern it.
With the hope that more local producers will take on
such projects, we’ve prepared a list of five true crime
stories that we think deserve that docu-series
treatment.
+The House on Zapote Street" and Nick
Joaquin’s reporting
The true crime genre finds its roots in New
Journalism, a literary movement which “combined
journalistic research with the techniques of fiction
writing.” Truman Capote and Tom Wolfe were
among its pioneers in the 1960s and '70s. Here in
the Philippines, it was national artist Nick Joaquin
who popularized this style in the pages of the
Philippines Free Press. Among the most horrifying
pieces he wrote was “The House on Zapote Street,”
which details the circumstances behind a jealous
father’s bloody rampage that ended in his own death
and the murder of his daughter and son-in-law.
Filmmaker Mike de Leon would later use the piece
as the basis for his award-winning 1981 film
“Kisapmata.” Those planning on making a true crime
series can learn from Joaquin’s masterful writing and
attention to detail. Plus, they can always refer to
“Reportage on Crime,” Joaquin’s collection of crime
stories from the 1960s, for other possible story
ideas.
Angeles City serial killer
FH Batacan’s book "Smaller and Smaller Circles"
raised the question of whether serial killers can exist
in a tightly-knit society as the Philippines. The case
of Mark Dizon proves Filipinos are no exception.
Dizon is accused of robbing and killing at least
nine people around Angeles City in 2010, three of
whom were expats. He was then a 28-year-old
computer technician who “slept with a gun tucked
under his pillow.” Police found the same pattern in all of
the victims: faces covered and with gunshots in the
head and chest. There were also no signs of forced
entry, suggesting that the victims knew
Dizon. Reports claim that Dizon “befriended many
expats” in Angeles, and even courted Czarina
Mitchell, daughter of a couple that he also killed.
After killing his victims, he would allegedly take their
gadgets and pawn them.
The murders had “struck fear” in the “expat
paradise” of Angeles City. Despite the evidence,
Dizon’s father claims that his son could never
commit such heinous crimes. Dizon has himself
denied the charges.
The case is recent enough for fresh investigations,
and a series tackling the rare instance of a Filipino
serial killer is always welcome.
Armando’s lore
Rich scion goes on a killing spree is a common
theme among the 1990s’ most sensational crimes.
This story also involves one. But unlike the decade’s
highly-publicized cases, this story has never been
confirmed, but it continues to persist in the locals’
imagination.
Armando, whose last name is not publicly known, is
said to be notorious in Negros Oriental for allegedly
raping, torturing, and killing multiple women. Aside
from a few references by some Negrenses online, no
known record verifies his supposed crimes (some
allege that his influential family may have managed
to keep authorities silent). His abandoned house has
become a macabre attraction, where the lore
suggests he buried some of his victims alive.
But existing accounts show that Armando indeed
lived a dangerous and tragic life. News clippings
from local paper Negros Chronicle show how he had
been a target of multiple assassination attempts, with
one ultimately succeeding in 1997.
Sounds like a story that’s ripe for some good, old-
fashioned digging.
Cadiz priest sexual abuse
Scandals involving sexual abuse of minors by
Catholic priests have rocked the West since the
2000s. This has eroded trust in the church, even in
countries where Catholicism was once influential.
The film "Spotlight" and the Netflix docu-series "The
Keepers" are just some productions that have
tackled the issue.
But here in deeply-Catholic Philippines, such cases
are almost never heard of — until recently. Aron
Buenacosa, a priest from Cadiz City, Negros
Occidental, was accused of molesting a five-year-old
girl, whose mother worked as a secretary in the
parish. The mother recalled how the priest would
“frequently ask to 'borrow'” her daughter, who would
then come out with chocolate and candy. This
happened multiple times, the child says.
Buenacosa’s case is now on trial, a rarity in the
Philippines. If convicted, he will be the first Catholic
priest to face punishment for any kind of sexual
misconduct.
A potential series on the case (or similar ones) could
embolden others to speak about their own
experiences. But it also has to consider the
sensitivities of covering minors involved in sexual
abuse, as well as the delicate dynamics between
church, family, and community.
Bangladesh money heist
Today, crimes need not be bloody for them to be
considered notorious. Sometimes, all it takes is a
few clicks.
In February 2016, the Bangladesh Central
Bank found $81 million suddenly missing from its
account with the Federal Reserve Bank of New
York. Hackers have successfully coursed the money
into four separate RCBC accounts in Makati City,
eventually ending up in the hands of casino
operators Kam Sin Wong and Weikang Xu. Both
have denied knowledge of the funds’ illicit source,
and have been cleared by prosecutors.
If it were not for typographical errors, hackers would
have gotten off more than $1 billion from the nation’s
coffers. Several Filipinos have already been charged
with money laundering. But until now, no one knows
the identity of the hackers who initiated the attack, or
even its masterminds (the US suspects it was North
Korea).
While white collar crimes might not be as flashy, an
in-depth look at a real life billion-dollar global money
heist might be compelling enough to offer unique
insights on the tech-savvy crimes that will surely
dominate the 21st century.
