Documentary peeks into Aquino’s Palace, through 4 men closest to him

INSIDE MALACAÑANG. President Aquino addresses the audience at the Rizal Hall before the advanced showing of the National Geographic documentary on Tuesday night of “Inside Malacañang,” a peek into the President’s (literally) closest circle. GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

With a small flashlight in hand, the man known around the Palace as Caster inspects the array of dishes before him, hoping he won’t find anything sinister lurking in the meat and vegetables to be served to his boss a few hours later.

As President Benigno Aquino III’s personal food tester, Senior Police Officer 3 Jaime Castro relies on his senses to keep the country’s most powerful man safe from something unedible and harmful in his food.

This moment in Caster’s daily routine has been captured in “Inside Malacañang,” the National Geographic Channel documentary on the Philippine presidency.

The hour-long documentary features three other men who are in the daily service of the Chief Executive, namely Colonel Ramon Mateo Dizon, Senior Police Officer 4 Lito Africano and Jay Morales.

These men, including Caster, literally keep a watchful eye on the President, especially when he goes out in public to attend to state matters.

Dizon and Africano are entrusted with securing the President’s life. The former heads the Presidential Security Group. The latter, a sharp-shooter, is Aquino’s personal bodyguard.

Morales, the newbie in the group, serves as the official presidential photographer.

Exclusive sneak preview

Although the documentary is set to have its Southeast Asian run over the NatGeo channel at 9 p.m. on March 18, President Aquino and some of his Cabinet members got an exclusive sneak preview in Malacañang last week.

“Inside Malacañang” took almost two years to make.

Marnie Manicad, who wrote and directed the documentary and whose Marnie Manicad Productions International teamed up with NatGeo to produce the video, said it took a year just to get the Aquino administration to agree on the filming of life inside the Palace.

That initial hesitation was replaced with excitement minutes before the documentary was shown last Tuesday as the President told the audience about being a NatGeo documentary fan.

“I immensely enjoyed both  ‘Inside the White House’ and  ‘Inside Air Force One,’ which is why I am excited—–as I hope you all are—to see the finished product,’’ Mr. Aquino said.

The President conceded that the documentary would  “open up the Palace not only to Filipinos but also to the whole world.”

It would talk about the history of the Palace, he said, but it would also show the lives of some people helping him do his work as President.

“I am happy that there is now a film that immortalizes their hard work and determination,’’ Mr. Aquino added.

Manicad, who attended the Malacañang premier, told the Inquirer that after finally securing all necessary permits, shooting the scenes inside the heart of the presidency turned out to be “interesting and exciting.”

Tough on President’s men

For one, said Manicad, she found out that there was indeed a presidential food tester and it wasn’t just a legend.

The documentary also shows how tough things are for the President’s men, especially when Mr. Aquino leaves the Palace.

A scene from the documentary shows PSG men opening the doors of their vehicles  “ready to move to secure their charge” every time the President’s car stops for the red light.

Dizon said the PSG had to “adjust” to Mr. Aquino’s desire not to use the siren or wangwang while on the road. The President also wanted them to follow traffic rules strictly, including stopping at red lights.

While he and his men would rather play it safe, Dizon says in the documentary, as much as possible they abide by what the President wants to do.

Dizon, who was also with the PSG during the presidency of Mr. Aquino’s mother, said he was certain that all his men would “take a bullet” for President Aquino.

Personal bodyguard

But the man first in line expected to do that is personal body guard Africano, the man in black shades and barong or suit usually standing nearest to President Aquino at official functions.

Africano says in the documentary that his job requires him to be on the alert and to always “expect the unexpected.”

The police officer also served under President Aquino’s mother, having been a member of the PSG assault team’s special reaction unit.

Africano has served as close-in security aide since Mr. Aquino’s Congress and Senate days.

How close is he to the President? Close enough for Mr. Aquino to gift him with a 45 cal. pistol that, Africano said, he now uses as a “back-up piece.”

Trademark shot

The documentary notes that President Aquino, a sharp shooter himself, has taught his body guard his “trademark shot.”

In the documentary, Africano demonstrates the shot which splits a playing card into two, leaving the audience in Malacañang gasping and applauding in awe.

There are chuckles as Africano concedes in one scene that the best time for all the President’s men is when Mr. Aquino is at home.

“Walang masyadong trabaho (not much to do),” says Africano.

Also keeping an eagle eye on the President—albeit for a different purpose—is his photographer, Morales.

Unlike the other three men, Morales joined the team only after Mr. Aquino’s election.

Admiration for photographs

In the documentary, President Aquino says Morales’ photography was impressive, but he particularly liked one picture Morales took of him during a presidential campaign rally at the Quezon Memorial Circle.

“He took a shot from the back and the lighting, the composition of it was really something else,’’ Mr. Aquino says, adding his admiration for the photographer’s “quickness and presence of mind’’ to take the picture “at that exact instant.’’

And now, back to Caster, the “legendary” food tester.

Intel checks of chefs, waiters

His job is not just to taste the food before it is served to President Aquino. Caster tells NatGeo that he conducts “intelligence and background checks on waiter and chefs, especially at presidential engagements in hotels and outside (the Palace).’’

Caster, who is usually seen bringing in the drink of President Aquino during public functions, says he makes a close inspection of everything, “from the water to the ingredients and seasonings.”

President Aquino told NatGeo that so far there had been no instance of food poisoning in Malacañang, “even during my mother’s time.’’

That may be the case but Caster persists with his daily job.

“I have a fun job and an exciting job because… I am the first one to eat the food,” Caster says in the documentary, drawing a ring of laughter from the audience.