WHY DID THE PHILIPPINES LOSE A WAR WITH THE USA? HENERAL LUNA TELLS WHY
In 1898, as Spain was losing a war over Cuba to the United States, the Philippines declared independence from Spain. But Washington paid $20 million to Spain to “buy” the country. A war against the Americans was then fought, with macho General Antonio Luna (played by John Arcilla) in command. The biopic of Luna, directed by Jerrold Tarog, demonstrates why he was unable to rout the Americans after they first land: One provincial general refuses to support Luna, Filipino soldiers are not disciplined, Philippine society is more interested in matters of etiquette than in the exigencies of war, Luna is assassinated by a rival in the provisional government, his later strategy to conduct guerrilla warfare is ignored, members of the government of President Emilio Aguinaldo (Mon Confiado) want to negotiate a deal with the Americas, and General Arthur MacArthur (Romel Musa) allows the country’s disunity to redound to his benefit. Titles throughout the film give the appearance of a docudrama, but there is a warning at the beginning that some events are portrayed out of chronological order. Nevertheless, for bringing facts of the war for independence to light, based on The Rise and Fall of Antonio Luna (1972), the Political Film Society has nominated Heneral Luna as best film exposé of 2015. MH