A special screening of ‘Quezon’ by TBA Studios erupted into controversy after Ricky Quezon Avanceña, grandson of the late President Manuel L. Quezon, confronted the filmmakers during the Q&A portion, accusing them of “disrespecting” his grandfather’s memory.
In a viral video circulating on social media, Avanceña was seen questioning director Jerrold Tarog about whether the film was meant to be a political satire.
“Was this film political satire or not?” Avanceña asked.
Tarog replied, “Yes,” explaining that the film uses allegory to provoke thought, not mock history.
But Avanceña fired back: “So nagbibiro ka lang pala? Joke lang pala?”
Tarog calmly responded, “We will leave that to the audience to decide if it’s something they would want to process.”
The exchange quickly escalated as Avanceña raised his voice and turned to the audience, declaring: “So you admit, this is a satire? So ‘wag natin papaniwalaan, joke pala ito! It’s a joke! It is satire!”
Lead star Jericho Rosales, who plays Quezon in the film, stood up to address the situation.
“With all due respect, sir, I understand your feelings. But this is a Q&A for our film,” Rosales said, requesting that Avanceña allow time for other audience members to ask questions.
Avanceña, visibly upset, interrupted: “Jericho, ‘wag mo ‘kong ganyanin ah. Patapusin mo ‘ko—one minute, I’m done.”
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
Despite attempts by event staff to de-escalate, Avanceña continued his tirade, accusing the filmmakers of distorting history for fame and profit.
“Hindi niyo alam ang ginawa niyo. Dahil gusto niyo kumita ng pera at sumikat, sinalaula ninyo ang alaala ng isang pamilyang nagbuwis ng buhay,” he said. “China-channel ko ngayon ang aking lolo sa pagsabi ko sa inyo nito—p***** kayo, mga p*******ina niyo, mga kupal kayo!”
He then threw the microphone before storming out of the theater.
Shortly after the incident, Avanceña took to Facebook to reiterate his outrage, calling the filmmakers “bayarang p***a” and accusing them of “selling out the legacy of the dead.”
“F***ing Jericho Rosales tried to block me, in effect canceling a Quezon from a Quezon movie which sullied his reputation,” he wrote. “I’m not saying don’t watch the movie—watch it, and then join me in a social media defense, mga Quezon followers.”
He added, “Nobody said he was a hero, so labas siya sa kabaduyan ng ‘Bayaniverse.’ He was a President, and the best ever most incorruptible.”
TBA Studios, the company behind ‘Quezon,’ told GMA News Online that it will issue an official statement soon regarding the incident.
The film is the final installment of the ‘Bayaniverse’ trilogy, following ‘Heneral Luna’ and ‘Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral’. It portrays Manuel L. Quezon’s rise to power, his rivalry with Emilio Aguinaldo, and his leadership as the first president of the Philippine Commonwealth from 1935 to 1944.
Currently showing in over 200 theaters nationwide, ‘Quezon’ has generated both praise for its bold storytelling and criticism from members of the Quezon family who felt it misrepresented the late leader’s legacy.
