Last year’s Wanderland was nothing short of a grand comeback, with Canadian pop superstar Carly Rae Jepsen and famed indie band Phoenix standing as its headliners. 

Heading into Wanderland 2024, then, it was apparent that Karpos had big shoes to fill for the music and arts festival’s 9th edition. But getting to experience the festival in all its glory made it clear that the organizers did just that. 

It’s not Wanderland without good music

Wanderland 2024 boasted a cohesive lineup of local and international acts from every genre you could think of – rock, pop, jazz, R&B, soul, hip-hop, and more. The festival even managed to score surf rock musician Jack Johnson and bass legend Thundercat as headliners for Day 1 and Day 2, respectively. 

The 2024 edition of the festival was a remarkable one – not just for the attendees, but also for the homegrown acts who had finally gotten the chance to shine onstage and live out their biggest dreams for the first time. 

Day 1 of the festival saw local pop-rock band Lola Amour take the Wanderland stage again after six years. The eight-piece collective first performed at Wanderland in 2017 after winning the Wanderband competition – so getting to play at the festival again was a full-circle moment for them. Lola Amour’s former saxophone player Joxx even reunited onstage with the band after two years. 

.@lolaamourmusic with the iconic intro of their hit song “Fallen”! | @rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/T5NqAlO2ja

— Juno Reyes (@junoileanavr) March 9, 2024

“I’ve been attending Wanderland since 2015, so it feels so nice to be invited. It’s just a really good event for the vibes and for the music. Super nice feeling. We’re all from the south so it feels nice that we’re all in our home court,” the band’s guitarist Zoe told Rappler. 

It’s the same for Paolo Sandejas, who had once thought Wanderland was merely a faraway ambition that wouldn’t go any further than that. 

“It still feels really surreal. Ever since I started making music, Wanderland has always been this unattainable dream. Like, ‘Oh, maybe one day I can play Wanderland and be on the stage with all my favorite artists.’ And now it’s happening,” he told Rappler before his set. 

Sandejas had kicked off his Wanderland debut with a bang – quite literally running onstage to open his performance with “Liquid Courage.” The south-based singer-songwriter was all smiles throughout his 30-minute set as he performed fan-favorite hits like “BLOOM,” “Different Shade of Blue,” and even the BTS V-approved “Sorry.” 

Paolo Sandejas performs “Sorry” – referring to it as “the song that changed [his] life.”

In 2022, the track went viral after BTS’ V sang it in one of his vlogs. #WanderlandMusicFest | @rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/5ztWes159f

— Juno Reyes (@junoileanavr) March 10, 2024

Wanderland 2024 also served as somewhat of a homecoming event for established Filipino musicians in the diaspora. Case in point: Jeff Bernat. The Filipino-American musician came onstage waving the Philippine flag – making for a memorable first time performing in his home country. In Bernat’s words, “There’s nothing like being in the motherland.” 

“[I feel] a mix of all emotions to be honest. I was getting really emotional rehearsing because I feel like I’ve waited such a long time to perform in the Philippines, and it’s finally happening. I’m a very spiritual person, so I feel like my ancestors are with me when I’m onstage. It feels very special. I think I might even cry,” Bernat told Rappler in an interview hours before he was scheduled to come on stage. 

Other than his top original hits like “Cruel” and “Call You Mine,” Bernat also sang a medley of the OPM songs he grew up listening to to pay homage to his Filipino heritage – belting out his own rendition of APO Hiking Society’s “When I Met You” and Side A’s “Forevermore.”

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Similar to Bernat, Australian-Filipino singer-songwriter grentperez also played his first-ever Wanderland set.

“[I’m] pretty nervous, pretty anxious, I’d say. Very excited. I’m sure it’ll be fine, I’m sure I’ll perform fine,” he confided in Rappler hours before he was set to go onstage.

Nervousness aside, however, the young musician made it clear that he had a knack for hyping an audience up. He had engaged in witty banter with the crowd, sometimes throwing in a few Filipino words here and there, and even having his band demonstrate the Filipino phrases he had taught them. He had also impressively run and danced around onstage while still being able to sing his songs perfectly.

It’s safe to say, then, that grentperez is a true entertainer who made Wanderland memorable for festival-goers – even those who didn’t know of his music before then.

Filipino-Australian singer-songwriter grentperez closes out his #WanderlandMusicFest set with “Cherry Wine.” | @rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/S4Yu76fFGI

— Juno Reyes (@junoileanavr) March 10, 2024

Fun times at the neighborhood

Wanderland has always been known for putting together a roster of local and international music acts who really know how to put on a good show. This year’s lineup was no different. Take American soloist PJ Morton, for example, who brought his soulful vocals to Manila for the first time. His secret to staging a performance to remember? Putting on a show that he himself would enjoy.

“I think ultimately I try to think of a show that I would enjoy watching. I always try to remain a fan. I love going to shows. I’ve always gone to shows so I just wanna make sure people feel like they’ve gotten more than they even asked for,” Morton shared with Rappler.

Morton’s performance was also special for Wanderland attendees – as it was the first time he performed his latest single “Please Be Good” in front of a live audience.

.@PJMORTON sings his newest single “Please Be Good” at #WanderlandMusicFest. He says this is his first time performing the song in front of a crowd! | @rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/t2KxJsbSh3

— Juno Reyes (@junoileanavr) March 10, 2024

Beyond the music, however, Filipino creatives were also given the spotlight, with the myriad of art installations, live art, and art workshops scattered all throughout the festival grounds. These works of art were the colorful final touch Wanderland needed to really make the festival one to remember.

Overall, Wanderland 2024 definitely lived up to its Neighborhood theme. Everybody was there for a good time, so no matter how crazy you looked when dancing and singing your heart out to the live music, nobody judged you for it. Even the little kids in the crowd sat atop their parents’ shoulders to get the full festival experience throughout all the different music acts’ sets!

One thing’s for sure: the presence of art, live music, fun times, and fun-loving attendees at Wanderland all prove why the festival is dubbed the “Home of Good Music and Good People.” – Rappler.com

Being in the Academy press room, where the newly minted Oscar winners are brought for a round of questions, is always a challenge for us journos even though we are so used to multitasking.

While taking notes for our stories, posting updates on social media, and wolfing down a sandwich, the writers pay attention to the show being screened on monitors all over the room and also listen to the trophy-holding talents answering our questions.

When there are winners in the room, replying to questions, the sound of the monitors showing the action inside the Dolby Theatre is turned off. Each year, the Academy provides wireless headphones to the journos so they can, if they want, still listen to the show even as the Q&As are happening in front of us.

Or they can listen to the show proceedings and the Q&A at the same time. It’s truly a multitasking reporter challenge.

But some winners’ thought-provoking replies made me drop my headphones several times and just made me listen and jot down their compelling answers.

Mystlav Chernov

Mystlav Chernov, director of 20 Days in Mariupol, which won best documentary feature, and his team walked into the press room to applause. A gripping account of the early days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, 20 Days in Mariupol marked the first Oscar of Mystlav and The Associated Press, which produced the documentary with PBS’ Frontline.

Mystlav, whose gold statuette joins his numerous awards, including the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service and journalism honors, said, “I just want to remind that yesterday was the anniversary of an attack on the maternity hospital in Mariupol.”

“It’s a significant moment, it’s a symbolic moment, and that moment became a symbol of the invasion of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the symbol of war crimes that they did there.”

“Right now, unfortunately, Ukraine and the topic of support in Ukraine became a bargaining chip for a lot of politicians in the world. I hope I remind everyone with our film that this is a humanitarian catastrophe and this is not a political question.”

“This is a humanitarian emergency and a matter of supporting the civilians who are being attacked and killed. It’s not my job to try to convince anyone of anything.”

“Our job is to provide as much context and information as possible and I hope that decisions will be made but according to this information that we are giving.”

On whether the awards season was a jarring experience, the filmmaker, journalist, and novelist stressed that the war in his homeland stayed on his mind.

“It has been almost three years since Mariupol was occupied, and all these years, it was never past for us,” he began.

“It was always every day we thought of the people of Mariupol and other cities that were occupied after that. And there were many neighborhoods, Bakhmut, Marinka, Avdiivka recently, Soledar, Popasna, countless villages.”

“So Mariupol for us never represented just Mariupol. It represented all of those cities that are being destroyed.”

“And every step of this journey, we kept reminding, and now we had an honor to be talking about Ukraine and about those cities that have been occupied, and an honor to be reminding the world about the importance of thinking of how to stop this invasion.”

“So, yeah, it’s been a privilege but it’s been a strange, painful experience at the same time. Because I’m standing here but my heart is in Ukraine. My heart is with all the people who are now suffering, losing their lives and homes, and fighting for their land.”

“Those who are in the jails, just locked. I don’t know how I can fix it. I don’t know whether I should try. But I hope that this win will elevate this story to more people and they will see us and will hear Ukrainians.”

Da’Vine Joy Randolph

While Da’Vine Joy Randolph was visibly overcome with emotion when she heard her name announced as the best supporting actress victor for Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers, by the time she reached the press room, she was her usual composed and eloquent self.

On keeping her mental and emotional well-being in the tough entertainment field, and putting all the best supporting prizes she collected throughout the awards season in proper perspective, the Yale alumna said, “I think you’d be selling yourself short if you make it about the awards. It’s too hard of a career.”

“The beautiful and the hard thing about being an actor is that it requires you to have resilience, self-confidence, and belief in yourself when no one else does, when you are constantly getting no’s and you’re saying, nope, I’m going to keep going.”

“So, actually, in many ways, while it can challenge your mental health, it also can strengthen it because you have to fortify yourself in a way that some people never ever have to do. So, for that, I’m grateful.”

“I would also say, you just keep yourself grounded, surrounded by people who care and love you, and stay close to what’s real. And, again, I’m just very adamant about this – it would not be in your heart if you weren’t meant to do it.”

“And I know it can be challenging to wait that wait but when it happens, it’s a full circle moment, and you know it was worth it.”

Asked to elaborate on what she said in her acceptance speech, “For so long I’ve always wanted to be different, and now I realize I just need to be myself,” Da’Vine explained, “I knew I was always different.”

“And so, therefore, I thought maybe I needed to conform to something else because when I looked at the (Oscars) show for many years as I was growing up, I didn’t necessarily see myself there.”

“Yet, that was the model of success. So I was on this journey of trying to figure out how I could mold myself to that because I thought that’s what success would mean.”

“And what I have begun to find in my journey is that in being myself, doing the work, staying focused, driven, and clear, I could do exactly the same thing while being myself.”

On the importance of paying it forward, the actress who began in musical theater, from West End to Broadway, answered, “It’s imperative because the people who’ve done it before me allowed me to be in this position now.”

“And so the type of work I do, my strive for authenticity, for quality allows there to be a new standard set where we can tell universal stories in Black and brown bodies, and it can be accepted and enjoyed among the masses.”

“It’s not just Black TV or Black movies or Black people but instead, a universal performance that can be enjoyed by all.”

About wearing her grandmother’s eyeglasses in The Holdovers (mentioned by Lupita Nyong’o who presented Da’Vine as a nominee in the show), where she plays a boarding school head cook, Da’Vine revealed, “It was crucial.”

“I knew that this was going to be a difficult role for me to take on and that it was going to require a lot of vulnerability from me. And I knew that she was just someone in my life who would allow me to get right back to the center.”

“And there were many women – I did a lot of research and did little subliminal messages, if you will, with hair-dos, details, and accessories beyond the glasses, giving homage to women from The Jeffersons, Phyllis Hyman, stuff like that.”

“So I included all of these women who made an impression on me and that meant a lot because it felt like a love letter back to Black women.”

Queried on how she encourages talents from underserved communities to stay the course, the Philadelphia native shared, “Due to being in underserved communities, the beautiful thing that erupts is your imagination and your creativity because you don’t have much.”

“And so you have this innate ability to create. That’s a gift and that’s something that will serve you. When you do have the resources, it’s easy.”

“Something I think what we as Black people are very good at is making a lot out of very little. I think that’s a superpower and something that we should applaud ourselves for and uplift ourselves so there’s nothing that’s never too little. It’s always just enough.”

Emma Thomas

Emma Thomas, who won best picture with her husband, Christopher Nolan (named best director) and Charles Roven, one of Oppenheimer’s seven honors, was hailed by best film editing winner Jennifer Lame as “a badass producer” making “complicated, beautiful films.”

Emma was asked about the importance of supporting women in the film industry. “I think everybody should be supporting women in the industry,” Emma emphasized. “I’m just saying.”

“We had the most incredible group of women working on this film. Eventually, I think we’ll get to the point where we have sort of 50/50 representation across the board.”

“We’re not quite there yet but we’re getting there. I think things are getting a lot better than they were. I’m very proud to have worked on a film that had so many fantastically talented women on it.”

“And really, the way that we do, bring more women in is to keep hiring and keep supporting. So, yeah, it’s an important thing.”

Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell

“Don’t do it for other people,” replied Billie Eilish when asked what she would advise young people who are aspiring to have a career in music. With their What Was I Made For (from Greta Gerwig’s Barbie) winning best song, it made Billie, 22, and her brother Finneas, 26, the youngest and second youngest, respectively, to bag two Oscars.

The duo cinched their first original song Oscar in 2022 for No Time to Die, Cary Joji Fukunaga’s Bond movie of the same name.

Bille continued, “Don’t do it for like numbers or some sort of specific like fame. That’s just really not ever something that I think anyone should be [doing it for].”

“Like, moving forward, I want everyone to be doing something that they feel passionate about, that they feel proud of, and that makes them feel like the best version of themselves. I would say that you got time.”

“I remember being 12 – believe it or not, and seeing this musical and sobbing my eyes out because I was like, damn, I’m a failure and I’m not going to have a career.”

“I was watching Matilda on Broadway and it was amazing, my God. And I was bawling in like the back nosebleeds and I said, I’m never going to amount to anything because I’m not in Matilda.”

Finneas quipped, “Over the hill.”

Billie added, “I would say, give yourself some time and do what you love. And I know that’s kind of easier said than done because some of us don’t even know what we love. But you will figure it out. You will find it.”

Cillian Murphy

Cillian Murphy disclosed that he was “a kid” (well, he was young – in his 20s) when he first met Christopher Nolan. After watching Cillian in Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later, Nolan screen-tested him to play the Caped Crusader in 2003. Cillian didn’t get the role but he landed the Dr. Jonathan Crane part instead in Batman Begins.

“It’s very, very special,” Cillian said about his collaborations with Christopher, culminating in playing the eponymous father of the atomic bomb in Oppenheimer. He made history as the first Irish-born actor to win the Academy’s best actor plum.

“We’ve been working together for 20 years. I think he is the perfect director. He is an extraordinary writer and producer.”

“He is extraordinary visually and an extraordinary director of actors. He presents this film like no one else does in the world.”

“And I just can’t believe my luck. I did a screen test for him when I was a kid and I thought that would be it. And it would be just enough to be in a room with Chris for a couple of hours and here we are. So I’m just so humbled and thankful.”

Emma Stone

When best actress winner Emma Stone strode in, she provided some levity when she answered about busting the back of her Louis Vuitton gown.

“Right when I came back, they sewed me back in, which was wonderful,” Emma explained with a smile. “I do think I busted it during his (Ryan Gosling’s) I’m Just Ken.

“I was so amazed by Ryan and what he was doing and that number just blew my mind. I was right there and I just was going for it, and, you know, things happen.”

On playing Bella Baxter in Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things, one of the most original parts in recent cinema – an adult woman’s body grafted with an infant’s brain – Emma enthused, “She is a character that is so, so important to me. The chance to play a person starting from scratch.”

“But in a total metaphorical, can’t-really-happen-in-real-life way, who’s gaining language and skills at a rapid pace every day. And getting to, sort of, chart that course and realize that she was just full of joy, curiosity, and true love of not just the good but the challenges in life.”

“Bella was fascinated by all of it. That was an amazing lesson to take with me and to try to get to live in the shoes of every day. So I really miss playing her ever since we wrapped filming which was a long time ago.”

“It was like two and a half years ago. I miss Bella. And I’m really grateful that we got to celebrate the film tonight and over these past few months.”

With her triumph in the 96^th Academy Awards, Emma joined a club of 26 other actresses who have won two or more acting Oscars for leading performances. Stone won best actress in 2019 for Damien Chazelle’s La La Land, where she appeared opposite Ryan.

Show highlights and sidelights

So what entertained the jaded journalists when there were no winners in the press room? Or even when we were throwing questions at the brand new Oscar winners, sometimes the show hosted by Jimmy Kimmel drew our attention.

Finneas O’Connell, when he was in the room with Bilie, got curious why the journos were chuckling at one point: “What’s happening during the show that you are all laughing at?”

For one, the bit about John Cena, naked save for a modesty garment, used by actors to cover their private parts in nude scenes, to um, commemorate the 50^th anniversary of streaker Robert Opel’s surprise dash onstage at the 1974 Oscars, had the writers laughing.

And the reporters were just as captivated as the star-studded audience at the Dolby Theatre by Ryan’s showstopping I’m Just Ken number which featured, according to Variety, a 40-piece orchestra, 62 dancing Kens (including a very game Simu Liu, who was, of course, in Barbie), 24 huge Barbie heads, and a surprise appearance by Guns N’ Roses’ Slash.

Ryan stole the show with this big production number of composer Mark Ronson’s nominated song which the actor conceived as his salute to Marilyn Monroe’s iconic Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend scene in Howard Hawks’ Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

Bringing back a format, last featured in the 2009 Oscars, when past winners in acting categories introduced the year’s nominees, was a welcome idea.

Also a scene stealer was Messi, the border collie in the best picture nominee, Justine Triet’s Anatomy of a Fall, dapper in a bow tie. Messi applauding during the show went viral.

It turned out to be yet another example of Hollywood’s tradition of illusion and make-believe. Almost an hour before the show, Messi’s cameo was filmed, with a man crouched under the seat, holding up fake paws and doing the clapping motion.

Messi’s star turn on Oscars night didn’t end there. After the ceremony credits rolled, the seven-year-old dog was shown peeing on Matt Damon’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It was a hilarious riff on host Jimmy’s faux feud with Matt.

It was also interesting to learn that in his rehearsal, best director presenter Steven Spielberg didn’t want to mention Christopher Nolan as the pretend winner because the legendary filmmaker didn’t want to jinx his friend’s chances of winning.

“It’s bad luck!” Steven reportedly exclaimed and went on to announce a late director’s name as the pretend winner instead.

By coincidence, Filipino American Vanessa Hudgens, who returned as the Oscars pre-show host, and her co-host Julian Hough, are both pregnant.

Other Fil-Ams who graced this year’s Oscars include actors Hailee Steinfeld, Lou Diamond Phillips, and Tia Carrere, Matthew Libatique, on his third best cinematography nomination for Bradley Cooper’s Maestro, and filmmaker PJ Raval. Matty wore a black brocade tuxedo by Beverly Hills-based Filipino designer, Oliver Tolentino.

But the red carpet scene stealers were the monster claw-heels on the shoes of the Godzilla Minus One crew. As if that wasn’t eye-catching enough, Masaki Takahashi, Takashi Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya, and Tatsuji Nojima also showed off more striking accessories – Godzilla figurines in gold and black.

This crew went on to win the best visual effects award. Talk about scary fun good luck charms! – Rappler.com

A Quezon province court granted their motion to quash, which in effect cleared them of the arson charge filed by the police. The four had been arrested by local police after they were suspected of burning down a modern jeepney in the town of Catanauan.

Their arrest brought about renewed criticisms of how police handle warrantless arrests and hot pursuits.

In this episode of Rappler Talk, justice and police reporter Jairo Bolledo sits down with Castro to talk about his detention and his perspectives on the country’s justice system after his warrantless arrest.

Bookmark this page to watch the interview at 11 am on Wednesday, March 13. – Rappler.com

Data from travel and experience app Klook showed that Filipinos were the top buyers globally of Klook ticket bundles for Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour” in Singapore, accounting for somewhere between 10% to 15% of the ticket bundles sold. In comparison, the percentage of sales from other ASEAN countries was only in the single digits per market.

“Philippines was a big chunk of that,” Michelle Ho, general manager of Klook Philippines and Thailand, said. “Malakas si Taylor Swift sa Pilipinas (Taylor Swift has a strong presence here in the Philippines).”

Klook told Rappler that at one point, over 10 million users entered their queue in the span of one second. And Klook’s infrastructure held up – something that not all platform can say. (READ: ‘Unprecedented’ demand for Taylor Swift tour crashes Ticketmaster website)

“That’s not normal. It’s not even normal not to crash when the spike is that high,” Ho told Rappler. “What was a success for us was even as a newbie in the entertainment scene, our app did not crash. We could hold a number of people on queue, and people were able to successfully book tickets on the app.”

It also looks like Taylor Swift was able to beat inflation as hundreds of thousands flocked to Singapore – her only stop in Southeast Asia – despite the pricey tickets. For instance, the cheapest Klook ticket bundle, which comes with two concert tickets and a room night in a 4-star hotel, reached $542 or almost P30,000.

“For a price point as high as that, sometimes you would think that demand will be very much affected. But that’s not true. We sold out in less than six hours,” Ho said on Tuesday, March 12. “People these days are willing to travel for new experiences, for experiences that they want to share with their loved ones.”

[ANALYSIS] Why airport ‘surot’ and Taylor Swift matter

Revenge travel ‘still very much alive’

Looking at the overall tourism landscape, Ho also noted that 2023 was a “great year for tourism recovery.” In the past year, Klook’s bookings tripled while its gross sales figures grew by four times between 2022 and 2023.

Filipinos also seem to be spending more on travel, as the average basket size of consumers grew by 21% based on Klook’s 2024 Travel Pulse study. For international travel, most Filipinos have a budget ranging from P15,000 to P50,000 for their overall spending. For local destinations, the average Filipino’s budget ranges from P15,000 to P30,000 for a four to six day trip.

“One could argue that: is this only about price increases, interest rates going up? But we’ve seen a double-digit growth, above 21%,” Ho said. “So it’s not really that the travel budget has gone down. But it’s really more about being intentional of what they’ve purchased.”

Filipinos who traveled internationally in 2023 and early 2024 usually visited nearby destinations, the most popular ones being Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, and Thailand. Locally, the most visited destinations by Klook users were Tagaytay, Baguio, Batangas, Boracay, and Palawan.

Ho said that the results of their study showed revenge travel was “still very much alive,” with 92% of survey respondents saying they have plans to travel domestically in 2024 and 76% saying they have plans to travel internationally this year.

“People are traveling more. People are not choosing between domestic or international. They’re going for both if they can.” – Rappler.com

Revenge travel is here – so where do Filipinos go?

“I got a phone call just this morning from PNP-RIAS, Regional Internal Affairs Service, that they filed, motu proprio, administrative [case] against the chief of police, the investigator, and the arresting officers,” lawyer Michael Marpuri said in a press conference on Tuesday, March 12.

A document seen by Rappler showed it was the main IAS that filed the case. The IAS is the unit mandated to probe police abuses.

Play Video

Police Captain Daniel dela Cruz, Police Senior Master Sergeant Jonjon Pordan, and Police Corporal Christian Abenilla face a less grave misconduct case over the director’s unlawful arrest.

An administrative case is different from a criminal case. In these cases, the PNP determines the punishment – ranging from suspension to dismissal from service – against the police personnel or police officer who would be found guilty.

After their 40-day detention, Castro and his friends were finally released from detention on Monday, March 11. The Catanauan Regional Trial Court Branch 96 granted the four’s motion to quash, which, in effect, dismissed the charge against them. The court said it could not acquire jurisdiction over the four accused because the police “arrested them not in accordance with Section 5(b), Rule 113 of the Rules of Court.”

The court simply meant Castro and his companions’ arrest did not fall under the allowed instances where warrantless arrest is justifiable. Under the Rules of Court, a person may be arrested without a warrant if he or she is caught in the act, if there’s probable cause to believe that a crime was committed, or if the person is a fugitive.

The court found that the arresting cops had no probable cause “based on personal knowledge or even on reasonable suspicion” to proceed with their operation.

Castro – who helmed critically acclaimed films like Endo and Zombadings – and his friends were arrested without a warrant on February 1 for allegedly burning a modern jeepney in Catanauan, Quezon.

The alleged crime was committed in Catanauan, which is less than an hour away from Mulanay town, where Castro and his friends were staying for a vacation. A closed-circuit television or CCTV footage showed Castro and his friend’s car passing through a Mulanay road at around 7 pm on January 31, about the same time when the crime was being committed in Catanauan.

Mulanay town officials also said that Castro and his friends were with them when the alleged arson transpired in Catanauan.

During the press conference, human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, who was also part of Castro’s legal team, reiterated that warrantless arrests should only be done in exceptional circumstances stated by the law. But, Diokno said there are instances where warrantless arrest becomes the default option of law enforcement.

“In practice, nagiging subject siya ng pang-aabuso sa mga nahahawakan namin na kaso (it becomes a subject of abuse in cases we handle). That’s probably the number one violation that we encounter,” the human rights lawyer said.

Must Read

What is hot pursuit, and why is film director Jade Castro still in jail? 

Pursuing the case

Will Castro go after the cops who arrested them? In an interview with Rappler, Castro said they have yet to decide on the matter.

But unlike the film director, the regional PNP is already sure about its next move.

In a statement on Tuesday, PNP Calabarzon director Police Brigadier General Paul Kenneth Lucas said they will continue investigating the arson charge against the four since the court said that the charge filed against them constituted destructive arson.

“We, in the Police Regional Office CALABARZON, remain committed to ensuring justice is served and will continue our thorough investigation into the case. The ruling, in no way, undermines the dedication of the men and women of this regional office in building a strong case against the suspects. We will diligently gather appropriate evidence and work towards re-filing the case of destructive arson against the accused,” Lucas said.

In the event that the case is refiled, it would not constitute double jeopardy since their case did not reach arraignment. Arraignment is where “the judge reads the charges filed against the defendant in the complaint and the defendant chooses to plead ‘guilty,’ ‘not guilty’ or ‘no contest’ to those charges.” – Rappler.com

Young hosted the finals night in Mumbai, India on Saturday, March 9. During the competition’s question-and-answer portion, the Filipina beauty queen fixed a tendril of Chombo’s hair before the latter went on with her pitch. 

This particular incident earned the ire of African pageant fans, who deemed Young’s action as cruel, disrespectful, and culturally insensitive. Some even left comments on Young’s Instagram posts, saying that her action has “jeopardized” Chombo’s performance in the competition, with some even accusing the title holder of engaging in “witchcraft.” 

While some of Young’s fans came to her defense, emphasizing that she had meant well, some netizens also took the chance to explain the cultural significance behind an African woman’s hair. 

Addressing the incident, Young posted a statement on her Facebook account on Monday, March 11, sharing that she “wanted to offer a helping hand” but “failed to oversee the bigger picture.” She added that since the incident occurred, she had been “made aware that culturally, this is unacceptable.”

Young added that she sought Chombo after the incident and has since spoken and apologized privately.  

She continued that it was not her intention to “invade personal space or make anyone feel uncomfortable.” She also extended her apologies to anyone who witnessed the incident and felt any “discomfort and confusion” by her actions. 

“I deeply regret my actions and will strive to be more mindful and respectful in the future,” she added. 

Chombo, meanwhile, also took to social media to ask her supporters to be “kinder” to Young and the winner, Krystyna Pyszková of Czech Republic. “I appreciate that you are all looking out for me, but it really doesn’t make me good when you bring other people down in my name or for my sake,” she said. 

Chombo finished as part of the Top 4 along with delegates from Lebanon and Trinidad and Tobago. 

Meanwhile, Philippine bet Gwendolyne Fourniol failed to enter the pageant’s Top 40. Young remains to be the only Filipina beauty queen to win the Miss World crown. – Rappler.com

Liza’s smile felt genuine — not just the kind worn for flashing cameras and eager eyes. It had the feeling of authenticity that could only stem from sincere gratitude and contentment to be at the point in her life she was currently in. 

For a brief 26 hours, Filipina actress Liza Soberano returned to the Philippines for a special event with Maya. Liza, on Tuesday, March 5, launched her new campaign with the Philippine digital bank — marking another milestone in their prosperous relationship. This time, she teamed up with Golden Globe and BAFTA-nominated actress Dolly de Leon in a new film to promote Maya’s unique e-banking experience. 

In this interview, Rappler catches up with the newly-minted Hollywood actress. Here, Liza talks about her experience working on the film Lisa Frankenstein, her liberating partnership with Maya, and all that she has learned about herself along the way. — Rappler.com

The audience grew 4% from last year, when 18.8 million people watched the film industry’s highest honors.

Oppenheimer, the blockbuster biopic about the race to build the first atomic bomb, won seven awards on Sunday, March 10, including best picture.

On social media, the Oscars ranked as the No. 1 program on Sunday night, generating 28.5 million interactions, also roughly 4% above last year, ABC said.

The #Oscars hashtag was the top trending topic in the United States on X throughout the telecast, and the most-used hashtag on X worldwide on Sunday, the network added.

Jimmy Kimmel returned to host the ceremony, and the show earned generally positive reviews. The festivities started an hour earlier than usual, a move designed to capture more viewers. 

“It turns out that great wins, emotional speeches, Ryan Gosling singing, and John Cena getting naked are all you need to produce a great Academy Awards ceremony,” wrote Kevin Fallon of The Daily Beast. 

The show celebrated two of last year’s highest-grossing films, Oppenheimer and feminist doll adventure Barbie. It featured memorable musical numbers, including Gosling dressed in hot pink to perform “I’m Just Ken,” and comedy bits such as John Cena’s appearing naked to present best costume design. 

Viewership of many awards ceremonies has dropped in recent years as audiences have ditched traditional television for streaming and social media.

The highest-rated Academy Awards telecast was in 1998, when megahit Titanic swept the honors. More than 57 million people tuned in that year.

In 2021, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, Oscar ratings hit their low point with 10.5 million viewers. – Rappler.com

Castro and his friends – sales manager Ernesto Orcine, civil engineer Noel Mariano, and civil engineer Dominic Ramos – were freed, according to Jasper Castro, Jade’s brother, in a screenshot shared on X by human rights lawyer and legal counsel Chel Diokno.

An ABS-CBN report said that Judge Julius Francis Galvez of Catanauan Regional Trial Court Branch 96 trashed the destructive arson complaints filed against the group.

“The information was quashed on the ground of lack of jurisdiction of the court on the persons of the accused due to the invalidity of their arrest. Technically, case is dismissed but without prejudice as to refiling,” Michael Marpuri, one of Castro’s lawyers, told ABS-CBN.

Arson charges

Castro, who helmed critically acclaimed films like Endo and Zombadings, and his friends had been accused of burning down a modern jeepney on January 31. The alleged crime was committed in Catanauan town in Quezon, less than an hour away from Mulanay town, where Castro’s group was staying for vacation.

Closed circuit television (CCTV) footage showed Castro and his friend’s car passing through a Mulanay road at around 7 pm that day, about the same time when the crime was being committed in Catanauan. Another CCTV footage showed that at around 7:25 pm of the same night, the film director was seen filming the rehearsal of a local pageant in Mulanay town plaza. Two Mulanay town officials also noted that they were with Castro and his friends when the alleged crime happened in the other town.

No basis

“Sa aking pagsusuri, walang sapat na dahilan na hulihin sina Jade (Based on my observation, there’s not enough basis to arrest Jade and his companions),” said Diokno, also one of Castro’s counsels. “They were not caught in the act of committing a crime; there was no legitimate hot pursuit operation; and they did not escape from custody.”

Castro’s case has brought renewed criticisms on how police handle warrantless arrests and hot pursuits. Human rights lawyer Sol Taule, who often responds to cases of activists arrested without a warrant, said on X that “the arrest of Direk Jade Castro and companions is a result of sloppy police work for the sake of apprehending someone.” – with reports from Jairo Bolledo/Rappler.com

The Miss Universe Philippines 2024 organization released on Sunday, March 10, a new set of photos of its 2024 candidates. 

After the delegates’ headshot and swimsuit photos, the 55 beauty queens are now serving high-fashion looks with their official glam shots. Here’s what the ladies donned for this particular segment of the competition:

Albay

Angeles

Australia

Bacoor, Cavite

Baguio

Bantayan Island

Batangas

Bohol

Bukidnon

Bulacan

Cabanatuan

Cagayan de Oro

Cainta

Camiguin

Cavite

Cebu

Davao City

Davao Region

Florida

Hawaii

Iloilo City

Kananga

Laguna

Leyte

Lucban

Mandaue

Manila

Mariveles

Miami

Naic

Northern California

Nueva Ecija

Occidental Mindoro

Pagadian City

Palawan

Pampanga

Pangasinan

Pasig

Quezon City

Quezon Province

Quirino

San Pablo, Laguna

Siargao

Sydney

Southern California

Tacloban

Talisay City

Taguig

Toledo City

Tuguegarao City

United Kingdom

Virginia

Washington

Zambales

These candidates will battle it out to succeed Miss Universe Philippines 2023 Michelle Dee, who finished in the Top 10 of the international edition. 

As of writing, the organization has yet to announce additional details for its national pageant. 

The 2024 competition is looking to be an interesting edition as it marks several firsts in the pageant’s history — delegates for this year’s edition were chosen through the Accredited Partners Program, the roster also includes candidates representing overseas Filipino communities, and there are no age restrictions for the candidates. – Rappler.com