"Umagos ito. Basang basa ang shirt ko. Umagos ito hanggang sa bibig ko. Buti may nakatakip na tape."
- Ping Medina
Baron Geisler is one of the most brilliant actors in the Philippine showbiz industry. His prolific career in TV and movies had been witnessed by us. Perhaps no one can deny that he is a very talented person when it comes to acting.
But come with these also are controversies. And these surely impact the person. There is something disturbing to his personality. Unless he has a psychological illness that would tend us to adjust.
He had been linked to fellow celebrities and off-camera controversies. He was seen having clash with a group of UP students over the late production of a script he demanded in a film project they collaborated on. He was even jailed after assaulted a neighbor and charged by several female celebrities for sexual harassment and unjust vexation.
The Shoot
Ping Medina plays the role of an informant in indie film "Bubog" whose face would be wrapped with packaging tape. There is a scene where Baron's part was to remove the tape in the face of Medina and hand him over to the cops to have him killed.
But Baron wants to add some adlibs to the scene and told Ping before the shoot: "May gagawin ako sayo Ping ah. Sana wag ka magalit."
(I'll be doing something on you Ping. I hope you won't get angry)
He also asked Director Arlyn dela Cruz that he'll be doing something in the scene.
"I asked you 3 times na 'Direk may gagawin po ako,' then you just said gawin mo na lang sa eksena. Kung tinanong nyo po ako kung ano yun di sana naiwasan ang mga bagay na ito."
(I asked you 3 times, 'Direk, I'm going to do something,' then you said to just do it in the scene. If you had asked what I was going to do, then we could have avoided this.)
The Peeing Incident
The most disturbing part is not Ping's wrapped in tape for the recreation of extrajudicial killing but peed by Geisler while helplessly could not able to move to avoid the urine gushing towards his body.
The act was supposed to remove the tape in the face of Medina and deliver him to the three policemen but he added an adlib that had Ping in fury.
Ping thought that Baron would spit on him but to his surprise after he saw a pinky finger, he felt that his chest is wet, warm and with odor.
Nung hinagis ako ng 3 pulis sa sahig, pumasok na si t*****. Tumayo siya sa tabi ko, hovering over me.
"Habang umiiyak ako, nagmamakaawa, di makagalaw dahil naka packaging tape ang kamay at paa, at parang napansin ko: binubuksan ba ni Baron ang zipper niya?
"Siguro dahil ang lalim ko na sa eksena. Umiiyak ako at may mga luha ang mga mata ko kaya di ko makita ng mabuti.
"In fairness, wala rin naman masyado makikita. Iniisip ko, baka daliri lang niya yun. Mukhang pinky finger? Kamukha at kasing hugis ng lumang chips na Cornetto.
"Pero tangina!!! Gagawin ba niya talaga ang gagawin niya???
"Napakabilis ng pangyayari. Naramdaman ko na lang na may bumabasa sa dibdib ko. Medyo mainit at may amoy.
"Unti unti ko na realize na p*******, ginagawa niya talaga to.
"Umagos ito. Basang basa ang shirt ko. Umagos ito hanggang sa bibig ko. Buti may nakatakip na tape.", ping said.
(When the three policemen casted me to the floor, he entered. Stood beside me, hovering over me.
While I'm crying, begging, couldn't move because of packaging tape in the hands and feet, and I noticed: Did Baron opened his zipper?
Maybe because i'm in the deep scene. I wept and with tears in my eyes so I can not see well.
In fairness, I did not see much. I was thinking, maybe it was just his finger. Looks pinky finger? Looks and shape as the old chips Cornetto.
But ****!!! Will he really do it ???
It happened fast. I just felt that my chest is getting wet. It's warm and has a smell.
I slowly realized that *******, he is really doing it.
It flows. My shirt is really wet. It flowed to my mouth. Fortunately, there was a tape.)
Alcohol Effect
Baron had asked Ping to give him 200 to buy food but Medina found out later that he bought beer.
Director dela Cruz encouraged the actor to remain sober after boasted about laying off the booze for five days. She also noted that he would listen to her instructions especially when sober.
But when his drunk, he was using foul language on set when it was time to shoot his scene. Medina said that Geisler was no longer in the right direction to do the scenes.
Enraged, Disgusted and Injured
"Hindi ka tao. Mas mababa ka pa sa hayop. Kasi ang hayop hindi iniihian ang kapwa na nangingisi-ngisi pa ng patago. Nag enjoy ka sa ginawa mo!"
(You are not a human. You are lower than an animal. Because an animal does not urinate on fellow animal [who secretly giggling.(Baron)] You enjoy what you have done!)
This is how Medina expressed his anger to fellow celebrity Baron when he recalled the disgusting spontaneous act.
Although enraged, Ping managed to control himself. He turned to the cargo container instead where he punch and kick it to release his fury.
Due to his outburst, he injured his left arm and hospitalized. He suffered a boxer's fracture which is not serious.
"Nung medyo kalmado na ako, nagpadala ako sa ospital dahil napansin kong nabali ang kamay ko. May two projects ako na gagawin this december. Pag kailangan ng surgery, mawawalan ako ng trabaho. Buti nalang yung "boxer's fracture" ko ay hindi kailangan.", Ping added.
( When I'm pretty calm, I went to the hospital because I noticed that I had a broken hand. I have two projects that I will do this december. If needed a surgery, I will lose my job. Fortunately, the 'boxer's fracture' is no need)
Altercation
After that particular disgusting scene when the controversial actor had splashed his urine to the body of the informant role player and the later had ram over the cargo container, Medina got mad and walk fast directly to Baron.
Ping slapped Baron and challenge him to a fist fight but Geisler did not responded.
Pero dahil sa sobrang galit ko, naglakad ako ng mabilis, at sa sobrang bigat ng energy ko, nahati sa gitna ang mga tao nung palabas ako.
Dumerecho ako sa kanya. BINABASTOS MO AKO???
Hinahamon ko siya ng suntukan.Sinampal ko siya.
ANO??? ANO??? ANO???
Pero nakita ko na hindi siya lalaban. Wala akong interes na bumugbog sa walang kalaban laban.", Medina recalling.
( But because I am so angry, I walked fast, and the extra weight of my energy, turn the people into half when I stepped out.
I go straight to him. YOU DISRESPECTED ME???
I challenged him to a fist fight. I slapped him. WHAT??? WHAT??? WHAT???
But I saw that he doesn't want to fight. I have no interest in mauling a helpless person.)
Misunderstanding
In his facebook post Geisler claimed that there was a misunderstanding and that he asked permission of what he did.
He defended that the director gave him the freedom to put some adlibs that he thought was best for the scene.
He also said that behind-the-scenes footage will show no proof of his being disrespectful towards anyone.
Apologies
In a facebook post, Director Arlyn said that she was no longer mad at what Baron did.
"I always move on and I always forgive, whether the apology is sincere or not. However, there's a clear decision on my part – I am done with this person,"
"May you find your peace and may you be the kind of son that you have always wanted to be. You know that you found a friend. You lost one," Arlyn wrote.
She also want Baron to apologized to her fellow journalist that he had also disrespected.
"Doon sa binastos mong kapwa ko mamamahayag, ikaw na mag-apologize.
Hindi siya stupid, nagtanong lang sa iyo... she just asked the questions based on the requirement of the segment producer."
( For my fellow journalist that you disrespected, I'll leave it to you to apologize.
She wasn't stupid, she was just asking... she just asked the questions based on the requirement of the segment producer.)
Baron Geisler written out of movie
After the incident, Director Arlyn wrote a lengthy post on Facebook about her disappointment to the actor.
She admitted that she cast Baron despite warnings from other artists about his unruly behavior because the actor had promised that he will work sober.
One of her posts she expressed that she's done with baron.
"However there's a clear decision on my part---I am done with this person.
May you find your peace and may you be the kind of son that you have always wanted to be. You know that you found a friend. You lost one.
At the end of the day, our lives do not revolve on Baron.", Arlyn wrote.
Investigation
Chairperson Liza Dino of (FDCP) Film Development Council of the Philippines assured to investigate the incident.
She expressed her sentiments on social media. She wrote on Facebook that the actor "went way too far."
"We may not have guilds here who can really protect the welfare of our film workers but I will make sure this will never happen again to any actor." wrote Dino.
Accidental Marketing Stunt
The bad incident could be seen as positive as it get noticed every time people talked about the issue. The event that happen inside the cargo can be a publicity stunt, although not planned beforehand by the whole indie film staffs. As the Director wrote on one of her posts:
I didn't know I hired you as Marketing Manager for the film.You are so perfect for the job.
Now #Bubog is so hot. Should I say thank you?
I think we will have a regular screening because of this marketing genius of yours. Thank you ha!
Scriptwriter ka na, marketing manager pa.
Teka, mag anchor na ako....
