Just a few hours after Vice Ganda celebrated on Twitter for winning Best Actor at the recent PMPC (Philippine Movie Press Club) Star Awards for Movies, controversial entertainment columnist and radio personality Jobert Sucaldito posted on his Facebook page that the comedian’s win was paid.
In his lengthy Facebook status, Sucaldito questioned the award-giving body’s credibility.
Just as we thought Joel Torre is a runaway winner for his phenomenal performance in “On the Job”, it seemed like he was not even considered to win the trophy during the balloting. The Star Awards is said to be the local equivalent of the Golden Globes as it is awarded by the press. Just like the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the decision-making body of the Golden Globes, PMPC members cast their votes to determine the winner.
If we’re going to be technical, Joel Torre would breeze through the voting with perhaps a tiny challenge from Jake Macapagal (Metro Manila). Other nominees include Dingdong Dantes (Dance of the Steel Bars), Robin Padilla (10,000 Hours) and Piolo Pascual (On The Job). Basing on Sucaldito’s Facebook rant however, it seems like Jorge Estregan Jr. (Boy Golden: Shoot to Kill) and Vice Ganda (Girl, Boy, Bakla, Tomboy) were head to head.
“Niloko ako ng ilang members ng PMPC. Pinaniwala ako that they will vote for my baby Jeorge Estregan for Best Actor for his sterling performance sa pelikulang Boy Golden,” Sucaldito posted on Facebook. “Barely two weks ago, some members talked to me at nagtanong kung hindi ko raw ba ila-lobby si Jeorge Estregan for Best Actor dahil ang kanilang napusuang winner na si Joel Torre for the movie On The Job won’t get the votes dahil hindi nila kayang magbayad sa voting members. I thought of something. Kung hindi rin lang mananalo si Joel Torre who is the rightful winner, might as well fight na lang for my anak-anakang Jeorge Estregan for Boy Golden dahil they said that he is next in line for Best Actor.”
Sucaldito revealed that his target was to convince at least 19 of the 38 PMPC voters to secure the Best Actor trophy. “Nagulat na lang ako nang malaman ko that one voting PMPC member nilang si Francis Simeon lobbied for Vice Ganda for Best Actor. Nagbayad siya ng pera sa mga kasamahan niya sa PMPC para manalo si Vice Ganda who is (in) abroad.” The radio anchor also divulged how he borrowed money from a friend to counter what Simeon has reportedly offered to his co-members. “Kaso ang 3 members ng executive branch nila sa PMPC named Mel Navarro, Roldan Catro and Fernan de Guzman are for Vice Ganda dahil mas nauna sila naka-commit doon.”