MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – The Philippine government’s controversial war on drugs has all the trimmings of a Hollywood blockbuster, and it would not be a surprise if a scriptwriter, director or producer is already working on it.

The word war between President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and Senator Leila De Lima has escalated in recent days and one of the focus has been on the alleged sex video tape involving the former Secretary of Justice under the Aquino administration.  

De Lima is being accused of benefiting from the illegal drug trade inside the country’s national penitentiary, the New Bilibid Prison.

Duterte has called De Lima “immoral.” The senator, on the other hand, said that all the accusations against her are “lies.”  At one point, De Lima addressed the president directly, saying “What do you want from me?” “Do you want me?”  To which Duterte responded that each time he sees De Lima’s videotape, he loses his appetite.  The president has not revealed how many times he has seen the sex video.

Enter Senator Nancy  Binay, daughter of the former vice president.  She expressed sympathy for De Lima, saying that some of the personal attacks against her were “below the belt.”

Incumbent Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre, who is spearheading the investigation into the alleged drug connections of De Lima, has not been spared from the war of words.

De Lima said that “Aguirre’s alleged evidence against me is like his toupee, his wig – fake and cosmetics only. There is nothing into it other than that. Nothing’s authentic,” De Lima said in a statement.

The Philippines has figured prominently in recent international film festivals — from Cannes to Berlin to Venice.

It might be wise for local independent film makers like Brillante Mendoza and Lav Diaz to jump on this juicy telenovela and work on a new project that might make it big and bring honor to the country in international festivals.

May we suggest a title:  “Sex, Lies, Videotape, Belts And Toupees?”