Enrique “Ricky” Avanceña, a descendant of former President Manuel L. Quezon, slammed the film “Quezon,” accusing its creators of “tarnishing” the reputation of the late president.
In a fiery statement posted on Facebook on Friday, Avanceña said he had seen the film three times in one week before attending a post-screening discussion to directly confront the filmmakers.
“So I went to see Quezon the movie for the third time in a week. This time I went to engage the makers in a Q&A,” he wrote.
“My only question was to the director, Jerrold Tarog: ‘Was this film political satire or not?’”
Avanceña said Tarog replied that it was satire, but he accused the director of avoiding to give a clear answer.
“He said yes but tried to wiggle away from the question. Kesyo dis, kesyo dat. Sabi ko, ‘Satire has a definition so you’re just joking after all?’”
The exchange escalated when actor Jericho Rosales, who portrays Quezon in the film, supposedly tried to stop him from speaking.
“Jericho Rosales stood up and told me to stop talking, that other people had questions. So ayaw nila marinig ang opinyon ng isang direct descendant?” Avanceña said.
During the confrontation, which was caught on video, Avanceña accused the filmmakers of mocking Quezon’s memory.
“T*ng*na, nilalako nila ang pambababoy sa alaala ng mga taong patay, at di nila ako hahayaan na magpahayag ng damdamin at ipagtanggol sila? At hindi naman kung sino lang ang Lolo ko, at nagbayad naman ako ng tiket,” he added.
LOOK: Former President Quezon's grandson lashes against producers and actors of the 'Quezon' film during a Q&A session in the Rockwell Power Plant Cinema. pic.twitter.com/pKICJ49nYc
— Joaquin Bautista (@Joaquin88206284) October 23, 2025
At one point, Avanceña grew emotional, claiming to “channel” his grandfather’s spirit in anger.
“Sige, but allow me to channel my Lolo, P*nyeta, mga k*pal kayo! P*t*ngina n’yo!”
In another part of the confrontation, Avanceña argued that the filmmakers were misleading the public, especially younger audiences.
“If you say that it is a satire and you admit it is, bakit papaniwalaan? Joke pala ito… I’ve seen all the comments, all the bashing on social media, what you opened, Mr. Tarog, is a Pandora’s box. Maraming Pilipinong bata ang hindi na nag-aaral… I-research niyo lahat, sapagkat ito pala ay inaamin nilang joke lang,” he said.
Rosales, for his part, reportedly tried to defuse the situation, telling Avanceña that feedback should be shared “through proper channels.” But the Quezon descendant refused to back down, lashing out once more.
“Hindi niyo alam ano ginawa niyo dahil kayo, gusto niyo kumita ng pera at sumikat… mahiya kayo. China-channel ko ngayon ang aking lolo sa paksa ninyo ‘P**ta kayo, mga p****ina niyo, kupal kayo,” said Avanceña before dropping the mic.
Despite his outrage, Avanceña told his followers he was not discouraging anyone from watching the film but urged viewers to be critical and defend Quezon’s legacy.
“I’m not saying don’t watch the movie. Hayaan na natin kumita ’yung mga bayarang p*ta na ’yan. Watch it, and then join me in a social media defense, mga Quezon followers,” he said. “Nobody said he was a hero… He was a President, and the best ever most incorruptible.”
A few hours after Avanceña’s post went viral, TBA Studios, the producer of Quezon, released an official statement addressing the controversy.
“At the recent talkback session for the film, one of President Manuel L. Quezon’s descendants expressed his views on the movie. While we respect and understand his sentiments, we wish to reiterate that the film is grounded in verified historical accounts, including President Quezon’s own autobiography and other reputable sources,” said the production company.
The producers acknowledged that the film includes some fictional elements “for thematic purposes” but emphasized that its key facts are supported by “public records, online research, or library resources.”
“To support further learning, the production has released a Study Guide and Companion Book with a comprehensive list of the books and references used in the film’s research,” the statement added.
TBA Studios encouraged the public to watch Quezon before forming conclusions.
“We encourage everyone to watch the movie so they can form their own opinions and join the ongoing conversation about the film, our history, and how it continues to resonate today. We hope that QUEZON can continue to inspire meaningful dialogue, reflection, and a deeper appreciation of our nation’s past.”
