BEMBOL WITH CO=STARS ALFRED VARGAS, INA RAYMUNDO & DIREK ADOLF ALIX
BEMBOL ROCO is turning 70 this November.
Next year, he’s celebrating his 50th anniversary in showbiz.
He was discovered by the late Lino Brocka in 1974 and introduced him in the trilogy film, “Tatlo Dalawa Isa”, while still a teenager.
The following year, he was launched to stardom in “Maynila: sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag” in the iconic role of Julio Madiaga that won him the Famas best actor award.
Soon after that, the late Gil Portes helmed him as the drug addicted hero in “Sa Piling ng mga Sugapa” and it got him the Urian best actor award.
He’s grateful that after five decades, he’s still very much around doing both TV shows and films.
On TV, he was last seen in GMA-7’s hit action-fantasy “Lolong”.
On the big screen, he’s now shooting “Pieta” which reunites him with three great actresses he has worked with before: Nora Aunor, Gina Alajar and Jaclyn Jose.
What is his role in “Pieta”?
“Alfred Vargas and I are both prisoners and we became good friends while in jail,” he says at the presscon of “Pieta” presenting the new members of tis powerhouse cast.
“Nauna akong makalaya sa kanya and when he regained his freedom, he looked for me and I became his adviser.
"Gusto kasi niyang malaman kung sino ang tunay na pumatay sa ama niya. Isang krimeng sa kanya ibinintang.
"Anak siya rito ni Nora Aunor who, when he came out of jail, bulag na and may alzheimer’s disease at di na maalala ang nakaraan.
"Bale reunion din namin ito ni Direk Adolf Alix kasi I was also in his very first movie, ‘Donsol’.”
It was the first time for Bembol to meet with the press after a long time and he was asked about his son, Dominic, who was arrested in October of last year in a buy bust operation in Quezon City.
He says some writers tried to interview him then but he said no.
“What for? Wala namang maitutulong ang press, e. I didn’t see any reason why I should give any interview to the press. Yung iba, bira nang bira, without knowing the facts.”
He wants to stress that Dominic is just a user.
“Pero hindi siya nagtutulak. Nasangkot lang siya.
"So I told him to be careful with his friends, like what happened to him. He was not careful, so nasangkot siya.”
He says Dominic is now under the supervision of his mom, former model Coco Artadi, and a police officer who monitors his movements.
There was a time he was not in good terms with Dominic and his twin brother, Felix, but Bembol says they’ve all reconciled amicably about nine years ago.
“My sons are turning 34 years old this coming April,” he says.
“They now have their own lives pero siempre, kahit wala ng kontrol ang isang magulang sa ganun edad, every now and then, pinapaalalahanan ko sila.
"I always tell them na mag-ingat kasi iba yung environment natin ngayon.
"Ayokong mapasok sila sa gulo na makakasira sa character nila. Kaya it’s important to choose your friends, the people you go out with.”
He’s speaking from his own experience as he admits that he fell with the wrong company when he was young.
“Noong kabataan ko, natiyempo ako sa barkadang puno ng kalokohan, tumira rin ng droga.
"Naging salbaheng anak ako noon sa mga magulang ko.
"Pero nagkaroon naman ako ng chance na humingi ng tawad sa kanila dahil sa sobrang pahirap na ibinigay ko sa kanila.
"Pinagsisihan ko yun and I asked their forgiveness para sa lahat ng katarantaduhang nagawa ko.”