The August 28 episode of "Coco Martin's Sigabo" was indeed an action-packed one, as avid viewers witnessed the Zafra family engage nail-biting shootout against the teams of NCIA agents and NLEA police officers in a desperate attempt to save their scion, Victor (JM de Guzman), from being transferred to the National Correctional Facility.
Victor's father, Mariano (Efren Reyes Jr.), initially managed to reach his son and take him with him after knocking down the police officer assigned to protect Victor amid the raging gunfight. However, just as Mariano was about to bring Victor to their waiting vehicle on the other side of the pier, a couple of NLEA units arrived and cornered them, throwing the Zafras’ carefully laid-out plan into disarray.
Mariano was grazed by a bullet on his right arm, forcing him to take cover beside his vehicle. His younger son, Lucas (Ron Martin), then rushed to his aid and helped him get into their car as they attempted to escape. Victor, meanwhile, had no choice but to retreat and hide among the shipping containers since he was defenseless, with both his hands were still handcuffed behind and he didn't have any weapon at his disposal, too.
Before he could make another escape, however, he was intercepted by NCIA agents Sebastian Tuazon (JC de Vera) and Tony Castor (Mark Lapid), who repeatedly fired at the car carrying Mariano and Lucas before taking Victor back to their service vehicle.
Although the NCIA agents encountered a major obstacle that nearly derailed their mission—and put their lives in danger—they ultimately succeeded in bringing Victor to the National Correctional Facility. As Agent Tuazon put it, Victor is now going to be stuck there for a very long time.
While the shootout sequence was intense and packed with action, things were much lighter and more cordial behind the scenes. This was evident in an exclusive behind-the-scenes video uploaded by CCM Film Productions on social media and presented by celebrity CCM reporter JC de Vera.
Of course, it was not only the actors who were hard at work throughout the filming of the action-packed sequence since the staff and crew also played crucial roles in ensuring that every scene was executed properly. The actors could be seen closely listening to instructions from their unit director, Darnel Joy Villaflor, as well as from the other members of the production team responsible for ensuring that each scene was properly executed. They were also guided on how to safely perform their stunts and handle their firearms during the shoot.
Among the busy people on set was camera operator Ivan Aguila, who gave viewers a glimpse into how the production team prepares for the major sequences like this one. He shared, “Bilang isang cameraman, pinaghahandaan namin 'yong mga ganitong shoot. Kailangan lagi kaming nanonood ng mga blockings nina Direk kasi kailangan naming makita kung saan kami pupuwesto. Kailangan naming ma-[visualize] 'yong nasa isip ng direktor namin kasi once na pinauwesto kami doon sa mga lugar na dapat naming puwestuhan, alam na namin dapat kung ano ang gusto niyang ma-achieve na shot.”
Ivan even took on the duty of being the CCM reporter and asked JM for his comment about everything going on with his notorious character. Staying true to his character, he fiercely declared on the camera, "Babalikan ko kayong lahat!" before instantaneously switching back to his delightful, smiley, and lighthearted self—the side of him viewers get to see whenever he is not in character as Victor.
Now that Victor is already at the National Correctional Facility, will the Zafras still be able to take him back? Let's find out by not missing an episode of “Coco Martin’s Sigabo,” airing weeknights at 8:00 PM on ABS-CBN sa ALLTV2, Kapamilya Channel, TV5, and A2Z, with episodes also available on Kapamilya Online Live (KOL) and for streaming anytime on iWant!
Chanda Romero, Efren Reyes Jr talk about working with Coco Martin anew in “Sigabo”