Controversial director Darryl Yap has responded to Giselle Sanchez’s public regret over accepting the role of former President Cory Aquino in his 2022 film ‘Maid in Malacañang’, acknowledging her sentiments but defending the production and its creative choices.
In an interview for ‘The Men’s Room’, Sanchez admitted that she regrets taking on the part, reflecting, “Pinagsisihan ko ‘yan. Kasi sabi nila, ‘Giselle, UP ka. Ba’t mo ginawa ‘yon?’ Hindi ko inisip, e. Sana inisip ko nga naman taga-UP ako. Sana inisip ko ‘yong bansa ko bago ko tinanggap ‘yon. Kasi inisip ko lang, artista ako.”
Yap took to Facebook to respond, saying, “Naiintindihan ko po ang sentimyento niya. Sa totoo lang, naging regret din siya ng production.” The director shared that among the entire cast and crew, Sanchez was the one most deeply affected by public backlash. “Si Giselle ang talagang nabasag at naapektuhan. Siya ang inalala ng team,” he said.
The filmmaker emphasized that he had prepared everyone involved in ‘Maid in Malacañang’ for public reactions—good or bad—not just because of the film’s subject matter but also because of his own polarizing reputation.
However, Yap expressed confusion over Sanchez’s reference to her academic background in her regrets. “Ang hindi ko lang gets ay yung, ‘Taga-UP ka pa naman, bakit tinanggap mo yan?’ Bakit? Iba ba ang hangin sa UP?” he wrote. “Yung pag-inhale mo ay pwede kang maging maingay at makasakit sa mga opinyon mo pero pag nakarinig ka ng makakasakit sa iyo ay hahagulgol ka? Yan ang di ko gets.”
Despite the disagreement, Yap maintained his respect for fellow artists: “Mananatili ang aking paggalang sa sining ng bawat isa.”
Back on August 1, 2022, shortly before the film’s release, Sanchez defended her participation in ‘Maid in Malacañang’ through a lengthy Facebook post. She said she accepted the role “blindly” without knowing what character she was portraying, how long she would appear, or what the script contained.
“Finally doing a project with Direk #darrylyap. I must admit that this role is going to be very controversial and I may be bashed for this but please bear in mind that I am an actress. Artists just play a role given to them,” she posted on July 4, 2022.
Sanchez later revealed that Yap chose her because he wanted an “intelligent and educated lady” to portray the character, which she later confirmed was indeed Cory Aquino. This, she said, was the “selling piece.”
Upon receiving the script, Sanchez recalled her unease after reading the line, “Get them out of the Philippines.” She admitted verifying the line with Senator Imee Marcos, who responded, “‘Yun daw ang sabi ng mga Kano.”
The actress then wrote, “What I have been reading in historical books and print media and watching and listening on television and radio during the eighties and nineties was the other camp’s side of the story. Now that the coin has flipped, let’s give a chance for the Marcoses to tell their side of the story.”
She concluded by quoting Imee Marcos: “Art should disturb, it should confuse, it should provoke, it should seduce and it should agitate… This is the beginning of a national conversation.”
The film drew massive backlash for a scene that depicted Aquino playing mahjong with nuns while allegedly discussing the potential death of Ferdinand Marcos Sr. This moment sparked outrage, particularly from religious groups.
An anonymous official from a religious order told SunStar Cebu that the depiction was “totally fake news.” The official, who said she helped shelter Aquino during the early hours of the 1986 EDSA Revolution, said, “She came here only to sleep. Pagod na pagod siya dahil simula noon ay dumadalo na siya sa mga rally namin.”
The nun said the scene was grossly inaccurate and disrespectful to the sacrifices made during that period.
