‘Give Up Tomorrow’ scheduled this week; Chiong unfazed, says case closed

The controversial documentary on Cebuano convict Franciso “Paco” Larrañaga and the Chiong sisters murder case will be shown in a commercial theater this week.

“Give Up Tomorrow” will be screened on Cinema 5 of SM City Cebu on Wednesday to Thursday, Oct. 3-4, more than a week after a private film showing was held for relatives and friends at the Marcelo Fernan Cebu Press Center in Lahug, Cebu City.

Organizers who were initially turned down by two malls and theater owners expressed surprise after receiving confirmation of a playdate for the documentary last Saturday.

The documentary which won several international awards recounts Paco’s plight after he was convicted along with six others for the Chiong rapes and murders in 1997.

Thelma Chiong, mother of victims Marijoy and Jacqueline Chiong, earlier said the documentary cannot change the convictions of Paco and his six companions that was upheld by the Supreme Court.

Still, friends and relatives of the Larrañaga family hope that the film will stir public sympathy and raise public awareness on what was not reported on the trial of the Chiong murder case.

“I don’t really know how they changed their mind. Marissa Fernan (SM Prime Holdings vice president) was there during the private screening. Her opinion must have really mattered. But it was such a welcome change of heart,” said Melo Esguera, one of the film organizers.

Sympathy

SM City Cebu public relations manager RJ Leduna said they are only giving the film two days because they are hosting a Korean film festival afterwards.

He said they will open another cinema if more people are interested to watch the documentary.

The SM Cinema showing will be the first public screening of the documentary in Cebu where the events took place a decade and five years ago.

Asked in a phone interview about her reaction to the SM Cinema showing, Thelma Chiong responded with “So what?.”

“What sympathy do they want from people? The Supreme Court ruling cannot be reversed because there was finality. I won’t worry about it. No matter how many awards the documentary won, I’m not afraid,” Chiong told Cebu Daily News.

She said her family is confident about the ruling on the case and added that she isn’t interested in pursuing any further legal action.

Esguerra said the documentary is “an eye opener” on how the Chiong murder case was investigated and tried in court. “People will learn new facts, new truths,” he said.

Re-opening the case

He said the Larrañaga family, relatives, friends and supporters are hopeful that the documentary will help secure government attention enough to revive the case.

Aside from SM Cebu City Cinema, the documentary will be shown on October 3-9 at the Robinsons Galleria, Robinsons Ermita, SM North Edsa, SM Megamall, SM Manila, SMA Mall of Asia, SM Manila, SM Mall of Asia and SM Southmall.

It will be shown at the Trinoma, Greenbelt 3, and Alabang Town Center on Oct. 5 to 7 and at Robinsons Galleria, Robinsons Ermita, SM north Edsa, SM Megamall, SM Manila, SM Mall of Asia, SM Manila,  SM Southmall on Oct. 3-9.

Miguel Juan Gallego, a supporter of the Larrañaga family, said he hopes the documentary will stoke “strong public opinion” that would convince people in government” to revive the case.

The Supreme Court upheld the death penalty by lethal injection on Paco and six others for the rapes and murders of Jacqueline and Marijoy Chiong on July 16, 1997.

The remains of Jacqueline have not been found to this day.

Filmmakers Marty Syjuco, who’s related to Paco’s brother-in-law and Michael Collins said the documentary focused on Paco since he was portrayed as the “face” of the “Chiong Seven”, the men implicated in the case.

In its ruling, the Supreme Court said they gave weight to Rusia’s testimony because it corroborated with the physical evidence and the testimonies of the other witnesses gathered by the prosecution.

It also dismissed the testimonies of Paco’s friends and classmates who said Larrañaga was in Quezon City on the night the Chiong sisters were kidnapped, molested and murdered in Carcar City.

But in June 2006, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo abolished the death penalty.

The Arroyo administration also signed a treaty with Spain allowing Spanish prisoners in the country to  serve their jail terms in their country and vice versa.

Larrañaga, who is of Spanish descent was transferred to a jail in San Sebastian, Spain on October 2009 after serving eight years in the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa.

The six others are still imprisoned in the New Bilibid prison.

“If the government will re-examine everything and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima can (perhaps) find evidence for the Supreme Court to reopen the case or perhaps a presidential pardon,” he continued.

But Thema Chiong said she’s confident that the seven men will serve their jail terms in full.

“Nobody will sympathize with them. All the senators know about the case,” Chiong said.