Veteran actor Ian Veneracion clarified that his decision to star in the upcoming limited series “Drug War: A Conspiracy of Silence” is entirely non-political, explaining that the project serves to reflect human experiences and a crucial chapter of modern Philippine history.
The series, which tackles the controversial anti-illegal drug campaign under the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte, is helmed by director Shugo Praico. It is produced by Rein Entertainment—an independent outfit owned by filmmaker and former Taguig City Mayor Lino Cayetano—in partnership with KC Global Media.
Veneracion emphasized that his motivations are rooted in the power of narrative rather than political alliances.
“I’m not associated with any political side because I’m not interested talaga in political personalities. I’m interested in telling stories,” Veneracion shared.
Despite facing initial scheduling conflicts, the actor revealed that the compelling nature of the script ultimately convinced him to take on the project.
“And it’s such a nice story. When I read the script, hindi ko alam [kung] paano ko gagawin ‘yon because of schedule problems. Pero I felt compelled because I have to tell the story. I feel it is a story of my people. It’s part of our history. It’s our story,” he said.
When asked about his preparation, Veneracion noted that he prioritized internal reflection over standard external research, relying heavily on the collective memory of the Filipino people and the personal accounts of those around him.
“Anong preparation ko parati? Inwards. Towards tackling a character, kasi ‘yung panlabas, ‘yun nga, feeling ko, mas madali ‘yun. It’s just information. Pero inwards is manonood din kami. Ganoon,” the actor explained.
He further noted that the global health crisis inadvertently shifted public attention away from the realities of the drug campaign, making the series an important tool for historical recall.
“They (director and team) did their research here. Pero ako, for my character, ang basis ko, siyempre, personal na kuwento,” he stated.
“Marami tayong mga kaibigan. Lahat tayo [ay] may kuwento. Lahat ng kaibigan natin [ay] may kuwento about during that time. Kaya lang, natabunan din ng pandemic ‘yun, ‘di ba? Nagka-pandemic, tapos nawala na. Nawala na rin ‘yung information about doon sa nangyari — ‘yung part of our history. So we just have to tell that story,” he added.
“Drug War: A Conspiracy of Silence” features a star-studded ensemble cast, including Jane Oineza, Harvey Bautista, John Arcilla, Lotlot de Leon, Romnick Sarmenta, Yayo Aguila, Joem Bascon, Ryan Eigenmann, and Gabby Padilla.