Director Shugo Praico says ‘Drug War’ must be told before Filipinos forget

The director explains why the series presents multiple perspectives and went free on YouTube for wider access.

Filipino filmmaker Shugo Praico believes this is the right time to revisit one of the most divisive chapters in the country’s recent history, not to reopen old political battles but to keep Filipinos from forgetting what happened.

For Praico, director of Rein Entertainment’s six-part series ‘Drug War: A Conspiracy of Silence,’ enough time has passed for people to reflect on the government’s anti drug campaign, but not enough for its consequences to fade from memory.

“I think this is the best time to tell this story,” Praico said in an exclusive interview with radar Entertainment. “Medyo matagal na, nakapag reflect na tayo pero hindi pa ganoon katagal para makalimutan natin ang nangyari.”

He considers the period a defining chapter in Philippine history that could shape not only how Filipinos understand the past but also where the country is headed.

“Maybe the worst thing for me as a storyteller is we forgot about what happened and before we realized it, we’re back there,” he said.

The six episode series, set during the Duterte administration’s anti drug campaign, follows a priest (Ian Veneracion) and a policewoman (Jane Oineza) whose paths converge as they investigate a case involving a young man (Harvey Bautista). Inspired by real events, experiences and accounts, the series is fictional but seeks what Praico calls “emotional truth.”

The goal, he said, is to make viewers return emotionally to that period and ask themselves where they stood.

“Nasaan ba ako noon? Naging bahagi ba ako ng problema? Naging bahagi ba ako ng solusyon? Or I was just a bystander there?” he said.

‘Di puwedeng iisa lang’

That reflection, however, requires more than one point of view. Praico said the series was designed from the beginning to present the perspectives of institutions deeply affected by the drug war, including the police, human rights advocates and the Church.

“Mahalaga sa amin ang tatlong perspectives. Simula pa lang, binubuo pa lang ang script, malinaw na sa amin that we have to have perspectives. ‘Di puwedeng iisa lang,” he said. “It’s a complex issue so gusto natin maunawaan at mapaunawa din sa audience ang bawat perspective.”

Among the most difficult perspectives to portray was that of the police. While interviewing police officers, Praico said the filmmakers encountered people who sincerely believed that what they were doing was for the good of their communities.

“Para sa kanila ito ang paraan, and that includes taking the life of another person,” he said. “Mahirap ‘yon tignan, maunawaan, much more ikwento, na ‘yong perspective na ‘yon tumayo sa kwento.”

For Praico, that tension is where the drama begins.

The production team also made clear during pilot screenings that they were not trying to persuade audiences to take a particular position.

“We’re not here to change the views or beliefs ng mga tao. We’re just here to present and show them the perspectives, ‘yong lahat ng perspectives,” he said.

He hopes those perspectives lead to conversation and, eventually, understanding.

Why YouTube?

That objective also informed the decision of Rein Entertainment to release “Drug War” for free on YouTube, rather than limit it to a subscription streaming platform.

Praico said accessibility was a priority, particularly for Filipinos overseas.

“The more it is accessible, the more we get there,” he said. “Kailangan ma-access siya ng audience natin, ng Pilipino, here and lalo na abroad.”

He also sees YouTube’s comment section as part of the series’ larger purpose.

“It’s ability for audiences to be able to comment and have a conversation kahit sa comment section, ‘yon ang maganda sa YouTube,” he said, noting that conversations were already happening around the first episode.

“And ‘yon ang mas importante sa amin as the creators of the series, magkaroon ng ganoon. Kaya siya ginawa because of that,” he declared.

Praico described “Drug War” as one of the few premium series to take this route, calling its YouTube release a limited window for accessibility. 

“As storyteller, parang we try to find a way na makarating sa audience ang kwento na gusto natin ikwento,” he said.

The series’ free YouTube release initially drew more than one million cumulative views before its first episodes were temporarily removed from the platform, prompting the finale to be postponed. The episodes have since returned, with the finale set to stream on Oct. 8.

For Praico, however, the larger objective remains the same: get the story in front of as many people as possible and give them something to talk about.

“I think it’s a story that everyone needs to see and hear and converse about,” he said.

READ: