PB members spoof ‘Tokhang’

Provincial Board (PB) Members perform a hilarious skit, co-written and directed by Talisay City Councilor Julian “Teban” Daan during the Charter Day program at the Cebu Provincial Capitol yesterday. PB Member Alex Binghay (left) played the role of President Rodrigo Duterte while Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale acted as a DSWD representative. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

IMAGINE a jam-packed Capitol Social Hall roar with laughter as “President Rodrigo Duterte” entered the hall and the sound of wild cheers reverberating from the audience as “Duterte” mentioned the names of five generals allegedly involved in illegal drugs.

Such was the scene as Provincial Board (PB) members surprised Capitol employees with a parody of the Duterte administration’s nationwide campaign against illegal drugs in a skit titled “Tokhang” or Tuktok-Hangyo with the help of veteran radio personality, former PB member and now Talisay City Councilor Julian “Teban” Daan.

The comic presentation, cowritten and directed by “Teban” drew raucous laughter from a standing-room-only crowd as the province held its 447th Founding Day celebration yesterday.

Shedding off his usual Barong Tagalog to don the trademark Duterte red-checked polo shirt, PB member Alex Binghay seamlessly played the role of the country’s President to the hilt as he gave a fiery speech against illegal drugs while appealing to drug users and pushers to surrender.

This was followed by a scene of a drug lord, played by PB Member Miguel Magpale, being convinced by his wife, played by PB Member Yolanda Daan, to surrender for fear that he would be killed in a police encounter if hunted down.

PB members Jonkie Ouano and Jerome Librando also traded their barongs for police uniforms as they took on the roles of cops going after drug lords in the province.

Ouano and Librando then came to arrest Magpale after a brief shootout.

(Watch here: Cebu Provincial Board spoofs Oplan Tokhang)

The police duo also managed to kill a drug lord named “Leopard,” the PB version of Jeffrey “Jaguar” Diaz, Cebu’s most wanted drug personality killed in an alleged shootout with police operatives last June.

Another scene also showed “Duterte” naming five police generals allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade.

But instead of the real generals, the generals’ names were: General Milling, General Electric, General Assembly, General Corporation and General Motors. The pun which was classic “Teban” again drew wild cheers from the crowd.

The “generals” were played by PB members Edsel Galeos, Glenn Bercede and Sun Shimura, stepson of real-life retired Gen. Vicente Loot, who gamely took on the role.

The police duo of Ouano and Librando later reappeared to corner PB Member Victoria “Tata” Corominas, an alleged “drug queen” and her bodyguard, PB member Christopher Baricuatro.

Several “drug personalities” were also shown heeding government’s call to surrender.

Among the “surrenderers” were PB members Raul Bacaltos and Jose Mari Salvador who pledged to live a drug-free life in front of “Duterte” and a representative of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DWSD) played by Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale.

Accompanied by an acoustic guitarist, “Teban” ended the presentation with a song on illegal drugs.

“Ang drugas makabuang sa atong katilingban. Makaguba sa kaugmaon, kinabuhi wa nay tumong. Ang drugas angay likayan, atong lawas ampingan (Drugs are a menace to society. It can ruin one’s future, leaving their lives without purpose. Drugs should be avoided, we should take care of our bodies),” said Teban in his song.

“Kung ikaw ma-drug addict, mao kana’y labing pait. Busa drugas likayan, kaugmaon ta ampingan (If you become a drug addict, it will be most unfortunate. That’s why avoid drugs, and let’s take care of our future),” another line goes.

“We’ve been practicing this for a few weeks. We made the script together with (former) board Teban. Ganahan sad mi nga nay alegre nga presentation ang PB sa anniversary (We wanted that the PB members would give a really fun presentation for the anniversary),” said PB member Daan, Teban’s wife.

Gov. Hilario Davide III who was in the audience enjoyed the PB members presentation.

“Lingaw kaayo, alegre kaayo. Maayo kaayo ang pagkabuhat sa script (It was very funny and entertaining. That script was very well made). And it is of course, very, very relevant because this is the issue now – drugs,” Davide told reporters.

“I was surprised that everybody performed well. Imagine Alex Binghay, he’s 73, but he memorized his lines,” he added.

Aside from the PB members presentation, a dance contest for Capitol employees was also held with those from the legislative department garnering first place for the 7th consecutive time.

Second place went to employees from the Provincial Planning and Development Office, Provincial General Services Office and the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office; while those from the executive department won third place.