The Filipino chaplain of the Catholic Church in Hong Kong has angrily denounced the people behind the distribution of the pornographic "Mare, Pare" video that continues to sell like hotcakes in the community.
Father Emil Lim's comments came as a second smut VCD featuring two other Filipino couples began to change hands at the underground markets in Central and in other places in HK where Filipinos tend to congregate.
Fr. Emil said people should not buy the video, but should inform the police about those who sell it.
"If you know anybody who sells it, by all means, report them to the police," Fr. Lim emphatically said. He then asked, "Alam ba ng mga pulis na may nagbebenta niyan sa Worldwide (Plaza in Central, where the VCD is supposed to have been sold first)?"
He also said that he was disturbed by the interest shown by Filipinos in the VCD, which purports to show two OFWs in a clandestine sex act. The woman is said to be working as a domestic helper in Hong Kong, while the man--supposedly her "kumpadre"--is an OFW in Saudi Arabia.
"We don't even know if it's (the VCD) really genuine _ na OFW nga yung babae doon. But OFW or not, it is still pornography...it is still illegal and immoral. At kung totoong OFW yung babae, the more na di dapat panoorin ng kapwa niya OFW yon."
He also has harsh words for those who claim they watched the VCD because they got curious about the "pare-mare" yarn woven around it.
"Don't use curiosity as an excuse. Those who watched it should go to confession and if you have the tape (VCD), I urge you to break it. Don't throw it away, break it!"
Amid Fr. Lim's warning, the controversial VCD continues to find its way, albeit surreptitiously, to many OFWs in Hong Kong. Parts 1 and 2 are already being sold together at $20 each, and there is talk now that part three of the previously believed reality VCD will also find its way soon in the illicit market.
But unlike the equally controversial sexploits of fallen Cantopop singer-actor Edison Chen which were captured on camera and posted without permission on the internet, the "Pare-Mare" VCD does not seem to provoke much outrage within the community.
On the contrary, many Filipinos seem to take interest in the VCD, initially because the story about the two supposed OFWs in the video having clandestine sex became more interesting in the telling.
Some of those who have watched it now seem certain that they know the "mare" in the video--she's from the north, east, west and south of the Philippines. However, someone has yet to give her a name, and where in HK she can be found. In short, there is as yet no proof that she is indeed, an OFW, much less an OFW from Hong Kong.
Filipino artist Tito Castante shares his views on why the VCD has become a hit in the community, even after many people have dismissed it as nothing but an artless recording of repeated sexual acts by two porn actors.
"Food and sex are two of the things that interests us. You see this (even) in advertisements---they always use sex to sell products like a woman's pouting lips that suggests seduction. Besides, this gave us a rare opportunity to talk about sex, kasi nga di ba we are known to be conservative and talking about sex is still considered taboo? It's also human nature na you dont want other people to know na nahuhuli ka sa balita, so talk about it and add details para masabing you know something they don't."
A Filipino journalist who did not want to be named, has his own take on the issue: "Of course Filipinos become interested because it's out of the ordinary. Their sense of propriety is shaken but at the same time, they also want to see the lurid details".
Others who have seen the video are more concerned about whether or not the video does show a real-life "magkumpare" having sex on the sly. People like "Tiyo Paeng," a self confessed adult movie enthusiast who boasts of having more than a thousand titles of adult or blue movies from 1930s to present insists that it is an authentic reality show, and that the woman is an OFW from HK. "Pansinin mo yong kwarto, servants quarter yon, may mga nakasampay pang underwear at may eksena doon kung saan sinabi ng babae ang. `wag mo papakita sa mga kasamahan mo ito ha, pare?'"
But this was immediately discounted by computer specialist Rommel D, who said he had seen the video two years ago on jologs.com, a branch of iyo.tube .com, a Filipino adult version of youtube that was shut down a month ago because of its content.
"I am not saying that I am 100 % sure but with my knowledge as a technician, this is a very big scam. It is convincing because such situations really happen and porno materials like that are so common now, nagkalat nga sa Quiapo eh."
He said that small details like the the toilet being bigger than the room is already a sign that it was not shot in HK.
"Kahit saang motel ka magpunta dito, wala kang makikitang cr (comfort room, or toilet) na mas malaki kesa sa kwarto. Pansinin mo din iyong toilet--may gripo at shower dun na panghugas--kahit saang toilet dito walang ganun. Isa pa, kung lalakasan mo ang volume at gagamit ka ng earphone, mapapansin mong maingay sa background at may dispatcher na nagtatawag ng pasahero kaya alam ko na sa Pinas gawa yon".
Further, he said: "HK is a very small place, bakit walang makapagsabi kung sino siya? At isa pa, nung di pa sila nagsesex, `Babes' ang tawag ng babae dun sa lalake. Gumagawa lang sila ng sarili nilang pelikula at iniisip nilang porno actors sila."
Another observer, a psychologist turned businessman, also says the video is "a porno film, and nothing more."
He disputed the stories first circulated that the video was shot either in a boarding house or a maid's room here.
"It was filmed in a week or two--notice how the bed sheet had been changed many times. Also, yung sahig, linoleum at yung kama, sa Pilipinas mo lang makikita. May bathtub din. And lastly, the way they kiss is not normal for a regular couple; tanging mga porn artists lang ang gagawa niyan."
The psychologist also has some nasty words for those who watched, and claimed to have been nauseated by the video.
"If they were really scandalized, then why did they watch it, tapos sasabihin nila nakakadiri, nakakasuka. Bakit, ano ba ang inaasahan nilang makita, cartoons? Truth is, aminin man natin o hindi, we love scandal and this kind of scandal makes us awake and sometimes what we wish for can be fulfilled sa mga scandals na ganito," said the psychologist.
"Kasi, suddenly you have an excuse for watching porno, e before parang pag nalaman ng iba na nanood ka ng bold nakakahiya kaya ngayon, nakakapanood na sila freely. So if they really don't like it, they should stop watching it kasi lumabas na mga ipokrito sila at mas nakakahiya iyon," the psychologist added.
Genuine or not, the issue for other religious leaders in the community is why Filipinos continue to buy the pornographic video.
For Pastor Ben Gabatino of the Redeemed Church of Christ, the attention people give to the issue is a reflection of their characters.
"People tend to talk about others to divert attention from themselves. Baka kasi mamaya mas masahol pa yong ginagawa nila kaya yong bulok ng iba ang kanilang nilalabas, Isa pa, it is considered adultery to watch bold films. If people don't really want it, then why do they buy? At kung totoo man yon, anong pakialam natin?"
"I think ang pag-record ng sexual act ay di masama (in itself) kung mag-asawa kasi through that they may be able to enhance that part of their life. Still, it is not advisable kasi what if makita ng anak mo, di wala ka nang mukhang ihaharap sa kanya?
Fr. Joey Mandia also said that watching the VCD in question or any porno movies is considered adultery. Also, he says that anyone who records sexual acts might be a "bit sick" in the head.
Still, if it was indeed true that the video was between two magkumpares who are both married to other people, he said that it was "very unfortunate" that it happened"and it is even more unfortunate na tinatangkilik ng mga kababayan natin.
