“I focused on sports muna,” he says. “Nagpaalam ako sa TV5 and I’m glad pinayagan naman nila ako. First half of the year, I was training for the World Championships for Frisbee in Boracay. My team and I trained in Boracay then represented the country in France. We won 12 games and ended up in the fourth place out of 30 countries. Which is not bad but disappointed pa rin kami kasi we’re aiming for the gold. Mas magaling kami doon sa nag-champion, inabot lang kami ng malas. Sayang. I’m not getting any younger so last game ko na ito and I gave my all. After that, John Estrada and I represented naman our country sa Jack Nicklaus golf championship in Cleveland, Ohio, where we won.”
How come he accepted “Amo” when the central character is played by newcomer Vincent Rillon as a drug pusher? “I’m a team player so okay lang kung hindi ako ang bida. When I did ‘The Janitor’, people were asking me, bakit mo tinanggap yan, e kontrabida ka. I didn’t mind as it’s a good role. Ganun din dito sa ‘Amo’. I like my role as a good cop who works side by side with Vincent and I enjoyed working with Direk Brillante Mendoza. Wala siyang script. He just tells you what to do. In one scene, pinatakbo ako sa labas ng isang mall. May hawak akong baril. The camera is on a scooter.
Yung mga security guard, di alam we’re just doing a shoot, hinabol nila talaga ako. E, mabilis talaga akong tumakbo. Then they realized it was me, so pinabayaan na lang ako. In another scene, shot sa slum area sa Addition Hills in Mandaluyong, I was in full police uniform. Pinatakbo ako sa isang eskinita. Basta wag kang titigil hanggang you hear Cut! Sabi ko, nasaan yung camera. Sabi, basta tumakbo kayo diyan nung kasama mong dalawang tunay na pulis. So, takbo kami, nagkagulo ang mga tao, yung mga tunay na drug addict akala, may raid. Sabi ko, mapapatay yata ako rito. Wala pa namang bala yung baril ko. So takbo ako nang takbo, ang layo. Mga three minutes na akong tumatakbo, then nag-cut na, at ayun, buhay pa naman ako. Tapos, nakilala na ko ng mga tao at dinumog na ko. Sabi nung mga pulis, di kami pumapasok dito kasi maraming sniper dito, e. But it was a great experience. Exciting. Definitely, Direk Brillante is in a class of his own. Iba siya.”
His contract with TV5 is expiring next year. Will he renew it or move elsewhere? “Five years na ko sa TV5 with two contracts na three years each. I think I’ve already proven my loyalty with them. I like the projects I did with them, like ‘Amazing Race’, my superhero role in ‘Kidlat’, the comedy I did with Empoy Marquez, ‘Extreme Challenge’ where I did the most dangerous stunts. So my priority is always TV5. If they still need me, they can have me. I will not open my doors to anyone else if TV5 still need my services. That’s just who I am.”
What can current TV5 president Chot Reyes say about this? “We’re very happy. We want to keep him if he wants to stay, but, you know, this is a business, di ba? What’s nice about our relationship with Derek is we’re very honest with each other and we want things that are beneficial to both of us. Derek is a good representative of TV5 kasi we’re known as a sports channel and he is a sportsman who’s also a serious actor, so bagay siya talaga sa amin.”
About his lovelife, it’s common knowledge he is serious with his current inamorata, Joanne Villablanca. When do they intend to settle down? “I’m ready to take the plunge, naka-set na yung mind ko diyan dahil gusto ko nang magka-baby. I want to find out kung kaya ko pa kasi ang dami kong bagsak, ang dami kong injuries dahil sa sports ko. But she wants to take it easy muna and I respect that. So we’ll see.”
How about his teen son, Austin, with Christina Joly? “He lives with his mom and studies in Dubai. He’s doing good. Class president siya, e. He will spend the Christmas holidays with me here this time. We communicate, but that’s all I can tell you as of now. I don’t want to jinx the things that might happen.”
Don’t miss “Amo” that will start airing on TV5 starting August 20 and every Sunday thereafter at 9:30 PM.
