Kapuso actor Martin del Rosario showed up at the recent story conference of his upcoming action-drama film ‘Beyond the Call of Duty’ with a noticeably more upright stance and formal demeanor—a change he attributes to the honor of wearing the official uniform of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
“It’s an honor to wear this ‘sacred’ uniform of the Philippine National Police,” Martin shared.
The film, which stars Del Rosario as a SWAT officer, is the first to receive official approval from the PNP to use their real uniforms and shoot scenes in restricted areas like Camp Crame. According to a PNP representative present at the event, the approval process involved rigorous scrutiny and required clearance from an entire committee.
“Actually, marami na akong nagawang [role na] naka-uniform ako. Pero siguro, ito na yung pinakanakaka-pressure. We’re supervised by the PNP talaga. PNP din ang nagbigay ng go signal sa film na ’to,” Martin said.
Directed by Jose “JR” Olinares Jr. and produced by Chavit Singson’s LCS Film Production and PinoyFlix Entertainment, ‘Beyond the Call of Duty’ is an action-drama inspired by true stories. It aims to portray the complex realities of public service without glorifying or whitewashing institutional flaws.
“Kung may kahinaan man o kakulangan ang fictional characters sa movie, sisiguraduhin naming nasa individual ito at hindi para ipakita na ganyan ang buong institusyon,” said Direk JR.
Martin, who had to shave off his signature moustache from ‘Lolong: Bayani ng Bayan’ for the role, said the clean-cut look reflects the discipline required of real police officers.
“Buti na lang, thank you sa [program manager] namin. Sabi nila gagawan ng paraan kung bakit mawawala yung bigote. Iba yung look ko talaga dun,” he said.
This marks a major shift for Martin, who is often cast as an antagonist.
“Ang fresh nito sa akin na I’m playing a very honorable role, isang pulis, bayani ng ating bayan. Ngayon, nakakuha ako ng bida role tapos pulis pa. So, extremes ’no? Kasi kapag gumagawa ako ng kontrabida, sobrang sama. Ngayon naman, sobrang honorable,” he said.
Other stars in the ensemble cast include Martin Escudero, Marco Gumabao, Maxine Trinidad, Devon Seron, Teejay Marquez, and Mark Neumann. The film is set to hit cinemas nationwide on May 28 and will be screened in various PNP regions, with hopes of reaching an international audience through Netflix or other platforms.
“This film is a tribute to the courage and humanity of our public servants,” said executive producer Stephanie Singson. “It’s close to my father’s heart, who started public service as a chief of police in Vigan.”
