'Ang Misyon' tells Marawi siege tale from terrorist sympathizer's vantage point

MANILA - How did the Maute rebels gain a stronghold in Marawi? How did drug cartels aid the terrorists? Why were there a lot of Maute sympathizers?

"Ang Misyon: A Marawi Siege Story" hopes to help solve these puzzles by telling the true story of a radicalized Filipino nurse who aided terrorists during the months-long war that left the Islamic city in shambles.

The indie film was directed by Ceasar Soriano, a journalist who covered Mindanao for decades before entering politics and running his own business.

"I ran a hospital... There was this nurse who applied to our hospital but left... The story is about how he aided the Maute group when they were already trapped," Soriano said in an interview on ANC's Headstart.

The radicalized protagonist Sajid is played by actor Martin Escudero.

The film crew had to coordinate with the imams from Quiapo to prepare for the film, Soriano said in the interview exactly a year since the breakout of the siege.

"We're so careful about this because mayroong (there is) religious sensitivity," he said.

He said the team also had to coordinate closely with the military in shooting scenes.

Soriano clarified that the film was not made to "glorify terrorists."

"It can help in understanding what terrorism is about in Mindanao," Soriano said.

"Sinasabi kasi nila tayo ang capital ng ASEAN ISIS. They should know that here in the Philippines maraming bayani rin at ang mga Pilipino, kahit may mga ganiyan, ay bumabangon pa rin," he said.

(They are saying we are the capital of ISIS in Southeast Asia. They should know that here in the Philippines, there are many heroes and that Filipinos rise again.)

"Ang Misyon" opens in cinemas nationwide on May 30.

• 'Ang Misyon: Marawi Siege Story' opens in cinemas on May 30