''Eskapo'' is a 1995 Filipino

action Action may refer to: * Action (philosophy), something which is done by a person * Action principles the heart of fundamental physics * Action (narrative), a literary mode * Action fiction, a type of genre fiction * Action game, a genre of video gam ...

thriller film Thriller film, also known as suspense film or suspense thriller, is a broad film genre that evokes excitement and suspense in the audience. The suspense element found in most films' plots is particularly exploited by the filmmaker in this genre. ...

directed by

Chito S. Roño Chito Sarmiento Roño (; born April 26, 1954), also known as Sixto Kayko and Chito S. Roño, is a Filipino writer, producer, and director. He is known for his expansive vision and special-effects-heavy films. He came to prominence in the Cinem ...

and written by Roy Iglesias and Jose Lacaba. It stars

Christopher de Leon Christopher Strauss de León (born October 31, 1956), also known as Boyet, is a Filipino actor, filmmaker and politician. Often referred to as the "King of Philippine Drama", he gained stardom for his leading man roles in numerous film and te ...

and

Richard Gomez Richard Frank Icasiano Gomez (; born April 7, 1966) is a Filipino actor, TV host, politician, and épée Fencing, fencer. He has been serving as the House of Representatives of the Philippines, Representative of Leyte's 4th congressional di ...

as Eugenio "Geny" Lopez Jr. and Sergio "Serge" Osmeña III respectively, along with

Dina Bonnevie Geraldyn "Dina" Schaer Bonnevie (, formerly Sotto, Penson, and Savellano; born January 27, 1962) is a Filipino people, Filipino actress. She is recognized as the industry's "Drama Queen" of her generation. She has won 2 FAMAS Award, FAMAS Awa ...

Ricky Davao Frederick Charles Abiera Davao (May 30, 1961 – May 1, 2025) was a Filipino actor and television director. Career Davao began his career in the entertainment industry in 1978 as a dancer for the Vicor Crowd group. Later in the year, he had h ...

Mark Anthony Fernandez Mark Anthony Lacsamana Fernandez (born January 18, 1979) is a Filipino actor. He is the son of actor Rudy Fernandez and actress-politician Alma Moreno. Career Fernandez first rose to prominence when he was once a former member of one of the ...

Eric Fructuoso Frederick John Marco Magdaluyo Fructuoso Jr. (born March 3, 1977) is a Philippines, Filipino actor, comedian, businessman, and former hip hop dancer. He rose to fame in the early 1990s as part of the teen boy group ''"Gwapings"'' along with Ma ...

, and

Romeo Rivera Romeo Rivera (born September 27, 1946) is a Filipino actor. He appeared in more than 95 movies and television shows. Career In 1963, Sampaguita Pictures introduced him with a bunch of young teenage stars which they called the Sampaguita-Vera-Perez ...

. The film was released by

Star Cinema ABS-CBN Film Productions, Inc., trade name, doing business as Star Cinema and also known as ABS-CBN Films (since 2018), is a Philippines, Philippine film studio, film, television production company, production and distribution (marketing), di ...

on January 25, 1995.

Plot

In 1972, after

martial law Martial law is the replacement of civilian government by military rule and the suspension of civilian legal processes for military powers. Martial law can continue for a specified amount of time, or indefinitely, and standard civil liberties ...

was imposed in the Philippines through

Proclamation No. 1081 Proclamation No. 1081 was the document which contained formal proclamation of martial law in the Philippines by President Ferdinand Marcos, as announced to the public on September 23, 1972. The proclamation marked the onset of a 14-year peri ...

, Geny Lopez and Serge Osmeña are separately arrested based on false accusations of attempts to assassinate President

Ferdinand Marcos Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. (September 11, 1917 – September 28, 1989) was a Filipino lawyer, politician, dictator, and Kleptocracy, kleptocrat who served as the tenth president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled the c ...

. While in jail, they met with other political prisoners who were released one by one as days went by. Geny's father decides to give up his entire business empire to the cronies of Marcos to ensure his son's release. But he was double-crossed after the deal was consummated. This leads to both Lopez and Osmena initiating a hunger strike to let everyone know their plight. Several more political prisoners were released except for them. Eventually, Lopez and Osmeña would hatch a plan together to escape from

Fort Bonifacio Fort Andres Bonifacio (formerly Fort William McKinley) is the site of the national headquarters of the Philippine Army (Headquarters Philippine Army or HPA) located in Taguig, Philippines. The camp is named after Andres Bonifacio, the revolutio ...

and discreetly travel abroad, out of range from Marcos' dictatorial grasp.

Cast

as Eugenio "Geny" Lopez Jr. *

as Sergio "Serge" Osmeña III *

as Conchita "Chita" La'O Lopez *

as Atty. Jake Almeda-Lopez * Armando Goyena as Eugenio Lopez Sr. *

as Eugenio "Gabby" Lopez III *

as Raffy Lopez *Farrah Florer as Marissa Lopez *

Paula Peralejo Maria Elena Paula Bautista Peralejo-Fernandez (born June 29, 1984), known by the stage name Paula Peralejo (), is a former Filipino actress. She is the younger sister of actress Rica Peralejo and the aunt of actress Heaven Peralejo. TV career ...

as Gina Lopez *T.J. Cruz as Ernie Lopez *

Camille Prats Sheena Patricia Camille Quiambao Prats-Yambao (; born June 20, 1985), popularly known as Camille Prats, is a Filipino actress, TV host, endorser, businesswoman and public speaker. Recognized as the original "Princess of Drama", she has starred ...

as Roberta Lopez *Carlo Prats as Ramón Lopez *Maila Gumila as Minnie Osmeña-Cabarrus *

Amado Cortez Amado Cortez (born Arsenio Ruiz Padilla, December 14, 1927 – March 22, 2003) was a Filipino actor and diplomat. His father was Jose Padilla Sr., a governor in Plaridel, Bulacan and his mother was Maria Clara Ruiz. His brothers were Jose Pa ...

as Sergio Osmeña Jr. *Teresa Loyzaga as

Imelda Marcos Imelda Romualdez Marcos (; born Imelda Remedios Visitación Trinidad Romuáldez; July 2, 1929) is a Filipino politician who was First Lady of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986, wielding significant political power after her husband Ferdinand ...

as Popoy *Miguel Faustmann as Steve Psinakis *Augusto Victa as Primo *Ramon Recto as Jimmy Jimenea *Pocholo Montes as Evaristo Zulueta *Ray Ventura as The General *

Joel Torre José Rizalino "Joel" de León Torre (born June 19, 1961) is a Filipino actor and producer who is best known for his numerous films such as the biographical film ''José Rizal'' (1998), crime thriller film '' On the Job'' (2013) and the histor ...

as Jorge Cabardo *

Mark Gil Raphael John Gil Eigenmann (September 25, 1961 – September 1, 2014), known professionally as Mark Gil, was a Filipino actor. Gil was often cast as a main villain in Philippine action films that was popular during the late '80s to the early 20 ...

as Jesús "Jess" Cabarrus Jr. *Nestor Escano as

Lorenzo Tañada Lorenzo Martinez "Ka Tanny" Tañada Sr. (, August 10, 1898 – May 28, 1992) was a Filipino statesman, lawyer, human and civil rights defender, and national athlete. He is often referred to as the "Grand Old Man of Philippine Politics." He s ...

Nonie Buencamino Anthony Buencamino, known professionally as Nonie Buencamino, is a Filipino character actor known for his television and theater work. He is strongly associated with Philippine New Wave Cinema, playing roles such as Mayor Bartolome in Jun La ...

Tirso Cruz III Tirso Silvano Cruz III (; born April 1, 1952) is a Filipino actor, comedian, and singer. He was the Chairperson of the Film Development Council of the Philippines after one year and seven months for personal reasons. Regarded as a "matinee ido ...

Fernando Lopez Fernando "Nanding" Hofileña Lopez Sr. (April 13, 1904May 26, 1993) was a Filipino statesman. A member of the influential López family of Iloilo, he served as vice president of the Philippines under Presidents Elpidio Quirino from 1949 to ...

Notes

1. The character is based on then-

Leyte Leyte ( ) is an island in the Visayas group of islands in the Philippines. It is eighth-largest and sixth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 2,626,970 as of 2020 census. Since the accessibility of land has been ...

governor Kokoy Romualdez. According to Raul Rodrigo's book ''Kapitan: Geny Lopez and the Making of ABS-CBN'', Romualdez was sent to the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

by the Marcos regime as an emissary to Sergio Osmeña and Don Eugenio Lopez to secure their cooperation and endorsement of the New Society in exchange for their sons' release from prison.

Production

Accolades

References

External links

*
Star Cinema official site
{{Martial EDSA 1995 films 1995 action films Cultural depictions of Filipino people Films about miscarriage of justice Films about prison escapes Films directed by Chito S. Roño Films produced by Simon C. Ongpin Films with screenplays by Roy C. Iglesias Films with screenplays by Jose "Pete" Lacaba Films scored by Jaime Fabregas Films set in 1972 Films set in 1973 Films set in 1974 Films set in 1976 Films set in 1977 Films set in Metro Manila Films set in the Philippines Films set in prison Philippine films based on actual events Films about the Ferdinand Marcos presidency Star Cinema drama films Star Cinema films 1990s Philippine films 1990s Tagalog-language films