[beeps]
[door opens]
I’m sorry. I have to go so often.
It’s one of the many indignities of old age.
Please don't apologize.
I’m so grateful you agreed to do this.
[grunts, sighs]
It’s a story that needs to be told,
and it needs to be told now before this election takes place.
It is not something I want to take to my grave.
You’re actually doing me a favor, Ms. Manalo.
Where were we?
Your unit had just reached the coast near Davao.
Davao.
The submarine was there...
but intelligence was not good. Not good.
You talked about the unit splitting up.
You stayed with your leader, Alejandro Fernandez?
Yes. And that's when it happened.
[knocking on door]
Dinner's here, Mr. Calendas.
Take it away. I need to talk to Ms. Manalo.
It's okay, Victor. We can start again in the morning.
You need to eat.
That's right Mr. Calendas. You need to keep your strength up.
I so appreciate that you're speaking with me.
The pieces of the story are beginning to come together.
I'll see you tomorrow, bright and early.
Perfect.
[beeps]
[tires squeal]
Be quiet and be quick.
Yes.
[door creaks]
-[grunting] -[gasping]
[pants] It's done.
Good. What are you so happy about?
I found this. Cool, yeah?
Bet it's worth big bucks.
I said not to touch anything!
I didn't touch it, I took it.
We have to get rid of that.
It's evidence, you jackass!
Fine.
[engine revs]
[tires squeal]
[Alex] My name is Alex Walker. I'm ex-DEA.
One of my first assignments took me to an isolated beach
right here on this island.
I sold what little I had and bought myself a gift shop.
Just peace, no stress...
...no drama.
Boy, was I wrong.
This...
is...
war.
Every time I kill one of them, three more pop up.
Technically, for every one termite you see,
there are 200 more you don’t see
when you have an infestation.
Mm-hmm. Uh... I have a... [stammers] an infestation?
It's the worst I've seen in my 25 years in the job.
I’m thinking it’ll take four, maybe five days.
Days? Days in a row? Use your little sprayer thing!
[exterminator] Oh, no. I won't be using that.
This is a tent job.
You’ll have to move out and close shop for a while.
Do-- Do what? For a few little bugs?
A few bugs that are eating the wood holding this place together.
With an infestation this bad,
it’s only a matter of time before-- pshh...
How much is this gonna cost?
You see that?
That's a soldier termite.
They guard the colony with those big pincers of theirs.
You might want to be careful with those guys.
[cracking sounds]
-[exterminator] Should I start today? -Yeah.
-[dog barking] -[van honks]
BROTHER, BROTHER!
THANK YOU.
-Hey! -[Ernesto] Alex Walker!
Welcome to my house. You made it!
I did. Thank you. Thank you.
-Only took you two years. I'll take that. -Yeah, but made it, all right?
Thank you again, man, for letting me stay while I tent my place.
Of course. Only one more can't hurt, right?
Yeah. "One more"?
All these people live with you?
You take care of all of these people?
No, Alex. We take care of each other.
Is everybody a family member?
Pretty much. Meet my Cousin Angelo.
[Alex] Hey, what's up, Angelo?
[Ernesto] This is Alex.
-Cool. -[Ernesto chuckles]
I wonder what he thought I was.
Hey, normally, I'd have you bunk up in my room,
but Linda’s coming over for the weekend.
-Dive shop Linda? -Mm-hmm.
Is that really a thing a now?
So far, so good. [chuckles]
You're gonna bunk...
with my grandpa. Silvio.
Hi.
WHAT? IN MY ROOM?
AN AMERICAN?
An Amboy?
CAN'T AN OLD MAN GET ANY PEACE?
I’m getting a drink.
Angelo, where's my wallet?
[whirring]
It's on your desk.
And my glasses?
Um, kitchen.
Are you wearing my army jacket again?
Clean it and put it back!
Yes, sir!
W-why does Angelo know where all your stuff is at? [chuckles]
Angelo puts those tracking things on all my stuff
-so he can find them with his phone... -Ah.
Because Angelo is helpful.
He doesn’t bring me roommates.
He can be a little cranky.
-[chuckles] -Yeah.
No, it’s a fact. We need security and economic opportunity.
And I come from a family
that has provided both to our country since its founding,
starting with my grandfather, Colonel Alejandro Fernandez.
[man] Did you all see that?
She did it again!
Talking about her grandfather’s accomplishments
like they’re her own!
Politicians.
No matter where you go, they’re all the same, aren’t they?
WHERE DID YOU FIND THIS GUY?
[Linda] Lolo, let me help you to your seat.
The food is ready.
[Alex] It looks wonderful.
[Angelo] Okay.
That was the best pancit palabok I've ever had.
Thanks, Alex. It's my family's secret recipe.
[Alex] Ah, does Ernesto know how lucky he is to be with you?
Well, listen. I would like to thank all of you,
uh, for taking me in and making me feel like it’s home.
[groans]
Sir, let me help you to your room.
I'm going to the bathroom.
You want to hold it for me?
No.
All right. All right.
Sorry about earlier.
Yeah. Well... he doesn’t have anything against me, does he?
No. He has a thing with Americans.
I thought Filipinos liked Americans.
It goes back to his service during World War Il.
For any Filipino alive at that time, the war never leaves them.
See, it wasn’t just Pearl Harbor that was attacked in December of 1941.
Ten hours later, they hit the Philippines.
By March, after Corregidor, MacArthur retreated
and we were occupied by the Japanese.
It was left to guerrillas, people like my grandfather,
to keep the fight going.
Lolo, I was just telling Alex about your service in the war.
Did he care?
Of course, I did. My grandpa was in a B-17.
They flew out of Foggia, Italy. I don’t--
I don’t know a lot that happened here in the Pacific, but...
he was a...
When was this picture taken?
It was taken near Davao.
Before my last mission.
But I don’t want to talk about it.
Sleep well, Lolo. I'II see you in the morning.
All right. All right.
[door closes]
Let the dead bury the dead.
[click]
[crickets chirping]
I'll just sleep here... on the floor.
[dog barking]
[snores]
[Silvio grunting]
Hey, what are you doing? Hey!
[grunting]
Ernesto!
[exclaims]
Hey, what is it? Hey!
-[yelling] -[crashing]
Take care of them! Take care of them! Hey!
[grunting]
[yelling]
[engine starts]
[tires screech]
[yelling]
[tires squeal]
[yelling continues]
[breathes heavily]
-Hey. -Here.
Thank you.
How's Silvio?
[sighs] Good. Resting, finally.
But I wonder if he’s more shaken up than he’s letting on.
He snuck into the house with all these people there
without anybody noticing.
Feels like a professional job.
The signs are there.
Who puts a hit on somebody in his 90's?
-Why? -[Ernesto] I don't know.
But I do know one thing...
It’s not gonna happen again.
Hey.
Hey. What's this?
A list of Philippine World War II vets like your grandfather.
Not a lot of them are still alive,
but three of them died in Cebu in the past two weeks.
Take a look at cause of death.
Asphyxiation. All while sleeping?
The coroner wouldn't certify them as natural deaths.
Now, with what happened to Silvio,
it’s pretty clear that they weren’t.
Did anything else unusual happen in the days before he died?
Any visitors, perhaps?
Yes, and did you get her name?
Okay. Thank you so much. You’ve been so helpful.
And I'm so very sorry for your loss.
[Ernesto] And you said that she was from the SunStar?
And if I need to reach you again, is this the best number?
Thank you, ma'am. Thank you again.
Well, two of them got a visit from a reporter for the SunStar.
Maria Manalo?
Bingo. That's the one.
-[Linda] Hey. -Hey. How's he doing?
He’s fine. He’s mostly mad that he’s confined to the house.
Everything okay out here?
Well, the family and...
well, half the neighborhood have this place on lockdown.
A Navy SEAL team couldn’t get through this joint.
You know, it gives Ernesto peace of mind that you're here.
[Silvio] Of course.
Because he's the "American."
Lolo, he's here to help.
They're always here to help.
To help themselves. [chuckles]
And it always goes badly for the Filipinos.
You know...
I did kind of save your life when that guy tried to kill you.
Ah! Ten more seconds and I would have broken both his arms.
I don't need help from any American.
Silvio, what is it? Why do you dislike Americans so much?
Do you really want to know?
We were waiting for our next mission...
...eating sweet potatoes and rice.
Maybe we got a chicken from a local farmer.
I just received a package from Melbourne.
Melbourne?
And it's directly from MacArthur's headquarters.
There is a German industrialist in Cebu working with the Japanese called Bluthner.
But he is not German.
He’s an American spy by the name of George Rowe.
And?
He has obtained detailed maps
outlining the Japanese defenses from Luzon to Mindinao.
It’s the key to the retaking of the islands.
Now, MacArthur is sending a sub to pick him up
at Bagacay point near Danao.
That takes us through a heavy enemy concentration.
That's why Carlotta's coming.
The Japanese know that the map is missing.
We need to get Rowe out of there before they realize that he has it.
Stop!
Good afternoon, sir.
Where are you going?
Ah, up to Mount Mayoug, sir.
We are bringing, uh, sweet potatoes to your headquarters.
[birds chirp]
-Sweet potatoes? -Yes, sir.
[Japanese soldier] Sweet potatoes.
Go. And don't waste time.
[Silvio] Thank you, sir. Thank you.
[Japanese soldier] Open! [clicks tongue]
[wheels creak]
[man speaking in Tagalog]
[speaking in Tagalog]
[grunts]
[exhales]
We'll arrive at the pick-up point...
at eleven hundred hours tomorrow, just south of Danao.
But there's an enemy encampment in Danao.
Why not do the transfer off Bohol?
Bohol is too shallow to get a sub in.
The military intelligence needs this information
if you want to retake the Philippines.
Victor, you must understand.
Everyone here must understand!
Getting this man and his map off the island
will be the most important thing we do in this war.
I understand, Hepe.
Carlotta is correct.
The mission is important,
but we are not to engage the enemy unless absolutely necessary.
Our mission is to deliver the American.
Did you not say that our mission is always the same,
to kill the enemy?
Is that what she told you?
Well, when she is in charge,
that's what we will do.
In the meantime,
I will give orders.
Come with me.
[exhales]
What was that all about?
Alejandro is the head of our unit, but that's because he has money
and he went to military school before the war.
But Carlotta is our true leader.
You would rather follow a woman?
She is no ordinary woman.
Already, she is a legend in the Resistance.
The entire Japanese officer corps fear
that she will appear and slit their throats in the night.
[chuckles]
She did that?
Seven times.
Well, it seems you're positively moony over her.
Don't worry, Mr. Rowe.
Carlotta will get you to your submarine.
I promise you,
Washington is going to honor each and every one of you
when this damn war is over.
Your sacrifice will not be forgotten.
Now, let me guess.
The American government didn't honor your men.
They honored some.
Where are you going, Lolo Silvio?
Angelo! Where is my wrist watch?
[Angelo] One second. You left it in the kitchen!
I mean, guess he has his reasons for being bitter.
Bitter isn't the right word.
Disappointed, maybe.
The U.S. Government hasn't exactly been great
about keeping its promises.
[exclaims]
Maria Manalo? Maria Manalo is, uh...
one of our best investigative reporters.
And when was the last time you heard from her?
Maybe three or four days ago.
She's been in the field working on a story.
Can you tell us what the story is about?
I only know some of the broad parameters at this moment.
But you understand it would be a violation of journalistic ethics
to talk to you about it.
Mr. Basilio, we have reason to believe
that several recent deaths have a connection
to visits from Ms. Manalo.
You can't think she's responsible.
Not necessarily, but she might be in danger herself.
I only know that she was working on a human interest piece
on the last of the WWII veterans,
how they'll all be gone soon.
This is her desk.
She keeps it neat as a pin. My guess is you won't find much.
Does it mean anything?
It does to me. It's my address.
If you hear anything from Ms. Manalo, please have her contact us immediately.
Absolutely, Detective. And you do the same.
I hope you guys find more out there than you did here.
Thank you, again, Mr. Basilio.
-Thank you. -Thank you.
Let's put a plainclothes stakeout on her apartment.
Already done.
[phone rings]
-[beeps] -Kai Mendoza speaking.
[woman] I hear you're looking for me.
Maria?
If you want to find out what's going on,
meet me at the Solea parking lot in one hour.
Section C-3. Come alone.
[phone beeps]
[engine starts]
Detective Mendoza?
It all started three weeks ago.
A man at a nursing home reached out.
He said he had an important news story,
but when I went to see him, he refused to talk.
He seemed... scared,
but he slipped me a list of names.
I began contacting them,
all old men in their 90's, but none would talk to me.
-Was Silvio Alamares on it? -He was.
but one of the others agreed to talk.
His name was Victor Calendas.
We spoke briefly, and the bones of the story began to emerge...
a big story. A career maker.
But before we could even speak again, he died.
Two of the other men on the list died under identical circumstances.
Then they came to my house.
-"They"? -Two men. Scary looking guys.
Drove a black van.
Like that one?
[tires squeal]
Mactan PD! Stop!
[tires screech]
Get out of the vehicle!
-[engine revs] -I said, get out now!
[tires squeal]
It must be one hell of a story.
Journalists have been killed for less.
We need to get you somewhere safe.
These are professional killers.
I can't think of anywhere that's safe.
Don't worry. I know a place.
[indistinct chatter]
The time is 10:58 PM.
Sir, will you please provide your name and your consent
to be recorded for this interview?
Silvio Alamares.
I consent.
So, just to confirm,
in early 1944,
you were attached to a Waray guerrilla platoon
commanded by Alejandro Fernandez.
I was.
And you participated in the mission
to deliver the American operative, George Rowe,
to the U.S. Armed Forces in the Far East near Danao?
I did.
And the mission was successful?
Only for the Americans.
Our friends in the village left us a bangka boat
tucked away just off the shore.
We will take him out a half mile off the reef
where the sub should be waiting.
[Silvio] But when we reached our destination,
we made a terrible discovery...
What did you see out there?
[breathes heavily] The enemy has moved closer.
They're just two kilometers away.
But, Hepe, the bad news is they have a machine gun nest
on the next bluff overlooking the shore.
We'd be dead before we got halfway to the boat.
How many men were there?
Two men, and a Type 96 gun.
[sighs]
We will need to split up.
I will go with the American down to the boat.
I need one volunteer to go with me.
[sighs] You will take the rest of the men.
Go inland, approach from the rear,
and take out that machine gun nest.
No, we should wait until nightfall.
Do it silently. Cut their throats while they sleep.
You keep the sub waiting that long and it might be gone.
Then we will be stuck with the American
with the entire Japanese army looking for him.
Yeah. It's nice to be wanted. [chuckles]
It's a suicide mission.
Then we can switch positions.
You can take the American down to the boat with Silvio,
and I will go with the men.
No. We've got this.
Let's synchronize.
The machine gun will be neutralized at 10:50.
Follow me!
So we're just gonna wait here until 10:50, then we go?
-That is right. -How are we gonna know?
Are we just- Are we gonna hope that there's dead men on that machine gun?
If Fernandez says the nest will be cleaned out,
then the nest will be cleaned out.
Again, how are we gonna know?
Because we will hear two carbine shots and no Type 96 machine gun, Mr. Rowe.
We haven't heard any gunshots on our way here.
They should've gotten there by now.
What do you think's happening?
They might have caught them by surprise using their blades.
That's Fernandez's specialty.
[Alex] Well, it depends on how good you think Fernandez is.
But one way or another, I gotta get on that sub.
[sighs] I'l go first.
If anything happens to me,
you take care of him and his information,
do you understand?
Yes.
No.
Don't.
Private Alamares. That was an order.
Come on.
[exclaims]
[grunting]
[grunts]
Leave me!
No! No!
Get him to the boat.
[big explosion]
[pants] We got 'em.
Carlotta, we got 'em! Hey.
-Come on! Let's go. Let's go. -She's gone.
-Let's go now! -She's gone!
-Help me! Help me! -She's gone!
-Help me! Let me bury her! -Let her go!
-Let her go! She's gone! -[grunts]
We gotta get to the boat!
[Silvio grunts]
-I can't leave her! I can't leave her! -Get to the boat, get to the boat.
[grunting]
[grunts]
[Silvio] I spent the rest of the war in an Australian military hospital,
but in the end, the mission was deemed a success.
According to MacArthur, the intelligence from Rowe was key
to the retaking of the islands several months later.
Fernandez and the others were honored for their role in the mission...
but I...
never heard from Rowe or the American government again,
and more importantly,
Carlotta's sacrifice...
went completely...
unrecognized.
As if...
w-we-- it never existed.
Well, Silvio, for what it's worth, I am truly sorry.
No. I'm sorry.
You weren't even born.
Life works this way!
If we'd only waited a few more minutes for Fernandez to reach those guns!
I'm afraid it's not that simple.
What do you mean?
When you put this together
with the pieces of the story that I was able to get out
of Victor Calendas and the others,
I can tell you exactly...
what happened that day.
Halt.
You said two men.
The sentries weren't there when I spotted them earlier.
I told her it was a suicide mission.
At best, we can get one of them
before they turn the machine gun on us.
What should we do?
We head back to base.
Let's go.
Let's head back to base.
Sir, do we really leave Hepe Carlotta and Silvio to the enemies?
If we can't get the gun,
it will do Carlotta and the others no good at all.
There’s still a chance they can make it down the hill
and get out of range before they are seen.
-But, sir. We can still-- -That's an order!
I am not giving up
on all of our lives for no reason.
Let's head back to base.
[gunfire]
Leave me!
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
[gunfire continues]
Don't you all be fools.
Follow me.
[gunfire continues]
-Get him to the boat. -[grunts]
[grunts]
[yells]
He dived into the nest.
Both grenades went off and cleared the nest.
He saved that mission.
What was his name?
It is lost to history.
[Fernandez] We need security and economic opportunity.
Oh, it's called family legacy.
The love and sacrifice, all for the Filipino people.
Coward!
No! No, no, no, no.
[grunts]
So what you're saying...
is that Alejandro Fernandez, Sr.
wasn't the hero he claimed to be?
The story had always been that Alejandro Fernandez
heroically led a secret mission during the war
that led to the ultimate victory over Imperial Japan.
Over the years, as the family became more well known,
the legend grew.
As it always does.
It came to include Fernandez personally bayonetting two soldiers
before throwing the grenades that took out the gun emplacement.
What about these other guys? The--the guys that were there.
Why didn't they come forward?
Mainly because Victor Calendas and the others were...
put on the family's payroll for life,
but also because of guilt.
So their empire was built on a lie.
I personally believe Victor Calendas and the other veterans were killed,
and Silvio was almost killed, to protect that lie,
and to ensure the election of Ruby Fernandez.
Hey. How's it going?
[sighs] I'm just writing the wrap-up.
I called my boss.
He’s going to meet me at the paper in an hour.
It's 2:00 AM.
He wants to see the source documents and hear the tapes for himself.
He's nervous about libel.
Any mistake, no matter how small, could bring the newspaper down.
What's the expression?
When you strike at the king, you can’t miss.
Okay. But, Maria, you know you can't leave here
until we've got those men.
Every minute counts.
The election’s only days away. It’s got to be in the next edition.
It's too dangerous. No story is worth your life.
You're obviously not a journalist.
Well, how about I take those in for you?
It's not that simple.
I have to lay it out for him in person.
He’s going to take a big risk running this story.
I have to appeal to him as a fellow journalist.
Okay. Well, we all need a good night's sleep.
Tomorrow, Ernesto and I will go with you.
Do I have a choice?
No. Sorry.
Then, I guess I have more time to nail the landing.
I'll even spend the night here, too, okay?
We’ll make sure to get you to the paper first thing in the morning, okay?
[boy] Have a good night, Angelo!
Does Angelo ever sleep?
[engine starts]
[engine stops]
Thank you for meeting me so late.
Of course, Maria. Let's see what you have.
Everything's there. More than I need for the article.
Enough for follow up pieces, too.
And the audio recordings?
All in here.
[playful chatter]
[snoring]
What the hell?! Where's my motorcycle?!
-[sighs] -Angelo, what's going on?
Somebody stole my bike!
My helmet, and even Great Grandpa's jacket is gone, too!
[Ernesto] She's gone.
She must have disguised herself as Angelo
and stole his bike to get past the sentries.
She went to the office. That's exactly what I told her not to do.
You've done incredible work, Maria.
You are a first-rate reporter, and I'm so sorry that I have to do this.
Do what?
What are you doing!?!
[gun clicking]
[gasping]
-You know what you have to do to her. -Yes, sir.
So, you're on the Fernandez family payroll, too?
Let's just say it's definitely not in my interest to see them brought down.
You're a journalist! You're always telling us about ethics...
about standards!
Yes, but you haven't learned about power
and the lengths people will go through to get it and keep it.
Let's go.
[tires squeal]
Hi. Excuse me. Have you seen Maria Manalo?
She hasn't come in yet.
Are you sure?
You might want to check the Managing Editor's office.
Locked.
[tires squeal]
I guess I'll never get to write this part of the story,
but I’ve got to know, how does it all work?
Who gives the orders? Ruby Fernandez?
[laughs]
[grunts]
For someone who’s seen what you’ve seen, you’re so naive, Maria.
The people at the top are kept clean.
They do not know what’s been done in their name.
It’s called plausible deniability.
How does anyone become so corrupt?
Well, you know what they say about corruption.
It all starts with a cigar.
-Thank you. -Thank you.
Hey, what's this?
Uh, this... is a broken phone piece.
Purple casing.
Just like Maria's phone.
She kept everything on that phone. Recordings, photos.
Excuse me. Where does this door lead to?
The back stairs to the parking lot.
Well, we know she didn't leave the way she came.
I told her not to come here without us.
If they grabbed her, she could be anywhere right now.
The helmet is here. The motorcycle is here...
but didn’t you say she was wearing Silvio’s jacket?
[phone chimes]
Angelo. Angelo, listen.
You know how you put those tracking things in all of Great Grandpa’s stuff?
Did you happen to put one in Lolo Silvio's jacket, too?
[tires squeal]
How much farther?
No more than two kilometers.
It looks like they’re parked at the edge of the jungle.
She's investigating something in the jungles?
Following up on a story she was told, or what?
Either that or somebody's got a warped sense of poetic justice.
They want to end the story where it began.
Hm.
Now, I need you to tell me who else knows the whole story.
No one. At least no one left alive.
You're lying.
Why would I tell you? So you can kill them, too?
If you don’t tell me, I will have to kill your friends and family
on the chance that you told them.
Isn’t it better to sacrifice some people instead of all your loved ones?
You have one last chance.
Who have you spoken to about this?
I will never tell you.
What a fool you are.
A noble journalist willing to die to protect your sources.
At least I won't die a disgrace like you!
[grunting]
Ah! Ah!
I will shoot her. Put down your gun.
[Basilio] I’m gonna need your car.
[grunting]
-Are you all right? -"All right"? Are you kidding me?
I’ve got the story of the year!
[groans]
Damn.
[exclaims]
What about your phone?
Backed it all up on Angelo's system. He's got everything in that room.
Yeah.
-Congratulations, Maria. -Thank you.
It really was the story of the year.
And it's still unfolding.
We’ve got two great young reporters full time on the Fernandez family beat.
Forgive me for interrupting.
Alex, Kai, Ernesto,
this is Mrs. Aurora Velasco.
-Hi. -The owner and publisher of the SunStar.
-Hello. -I'd like to personally thank you
for what you’ve done for Maria, for the paper, and for journalism.
Our job is to give the public the facts
and let the chips fall where they may, and they always fall eventually.
-Trust me. -Okay, I will.
Since we are thanking people, you've saved my life.
I will always be in your debt.
And I especially want to thank you...
for using your contacts in Washington to finally put things right.
The package arrived this morning.
[Alex] Your grandfather’s finally gonna get the recognition he deserves.
Lolo Silvio?
The watch.
There is also back pay on his military pension.
And... there's one more thing.
So, once the records were found
and Maria was able to supply the whole story,
the Department of Defense issued the medal and the check.
I don't know what to say.
-[chuckles] -Well, there is one more thing.
[sniffles, gasps]
[sniffles]
I can't believe this.
Well, it's true. Carlotta survived.
She was found by villagers and taken to safety.
It was a long recovery, but after the war,
she went to the United States, married, had a family.
She taught high school history. In the 1960’s, she became a U.S. citizen.
She died in 2010 at the age of 81.
She lived a good life. [sniffles]
I love you, Lolo.
[Silvio sniffles]
Hey, Amboy. Come here.
Oh. [chuckles]
Angelo, I want you to put that tracking thing on this!
[closing theme plays]