With faith as his greatest weapon, Cardo Dalisay (Coco Martin) shows us that even if tragedies, obstacles, and the greatest of pain try to knock him over, he can choose to rebuild his life each time. In this Season of Lent, let us take inspiration from how Cardo responded to trials that tested his faith in FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano.

Tainted reputation

Many times over, Cardo’s reputation has become a stumbling block as his enemies put him in a bad light. He was once framed for illegal drug possession and accused of rebellion, both of which resulted in his expulsion from service and imprisonment.

But Cardo vowed to clear his name. He fought against the injustices brought upon him, and in the process, changed the inmates, exposed the real criminals and enlightened Filipinos about corruption in the government.

The test of love

Besides his missions as a cop, Cardo was likewise tested a lot in the love department. His relationship with Alyana (Yassi Pressman) was rosy in the beginning until they lost Ricky Boy and he got too consumed by his missions. It has become a challenging marital life since, with the endless tug-of-war between the heart and mind, to the point of Alyana giving up on Cardo and finding new love in Marco Cabrera (JC Santos). His soul ached watching his wife love another guy.

But each time a storm comes to destroy their union, Cardo and Alyana circle back to their promises at the altar. There were many scenes of them seeking Divine guidance for their relationship that proved to be an answered prayer.

Death of a loved one

Nothing is more reality-changing and painful than the death of a loved one. Cardo grieved and lost special people several times already – from his loyal sidekick Benny (Pepe Herrera), to his sister-in-law Carmen (Bela Padilla), adopted son Makmak (Awra Briguela), biological son Ricky Boy, and in-laws Teddy (Joel Torre) and Virgie (Shamaine Buencamino).

The death of his spouse Alyana was even more devastating. When she died during a skirmish with the Black Ops, Cardo’s world came crumbling beneath him, as though he already lost everything.

While there was no quick fix to his grief, Cardo showed that healing begins with acceptance. His resilience kept him afloat in the waves of sorrow.

Big Battles

As the hero cop, Cardo is no stranger to death-defying missions and he makes sure to pack his faith into his fighting arsenal. One that really put him to the test was the surprise attack from Renato (John Arcilla)’s camp in Batangas. It was difficult for a lot of reasons; one was he’s still mourning over Alyana’s death. It also happened right after an emotional encounter with Teddy and Virgie. They were outnumbered as the enemies came in a battalion and they weren’t prepared for the fight. Teddy and Virgie died in the conflict and most Agilas were already wounded. It would really take a miracle to survive – Cardo got one.

Friendship Breakups

The “pambansang teleserye” also paints the beauty of friendships that are worth keeping while presenting the reality that most of these relationships will go through ups and downs. Cardo, whose missions require a buddy to fight with him side-by-side, felt betrayed when Ramil (Michael De Mesa) decided to leave the group for a comfortable life as Lito (Richard Gutierrez)’s new henchman.

Yet, brotherhood can never be torn apart when trials are faced with kindred spirit, respect, and by swallowing the pride. Every time Cardo reconciles with his buddies, we are reminded that restored friendships also widen our perspective about life and love. As Lola Flora (Susan Roces) said, solid friendships are proof of God’s love.

Crisis in the family

Life comes with seasons of troubles that crush our hearts. Cardo witnessed his family suffered from discrimination when neighbors tagged them as threats in the community.

His morals provoke his enemies, so much that his loved ones become the target of killings and vendetta. His missions jeopardized the family’s safety.

At some point, Lolo Delfin was arrested for corruption due to evidences planted by Renato, and later on suffered from torture. Cardo almost lost him as well after a colleague sold them out to the authorities.

But Cardo managed to turn all these tragedies into opportunities to make a difference. With God’s help, he takes action and brings his loved ones forward. They even find courage and strength within the chaos.

Life-or-death situations

Near-death experiences are a big test of belief, and when survived affirms the relationship with the Man above.

With his line of work, Cardo had many times defied death, partly thanks to his badass fighting techniques and sharp survival skills. But at the end of the day, even the hero would acknowledge that only God can perform such miraculous savings.

Obstacles may block his way and sufferings may try to crush his fighting spirit but Cardo’s faith helps him recover and continue the good fight – a fitting reminder for all of us this Holy Week.