John Lloyd Cruz, Janine Gutierrez, and director Joel Lamangan join a multi-sector protest against Anti-Terrorism Law via a stirring rendition of Charlie Chaplin’s The Great Dictator speech.

“Mga kababayan! Huwag kayong bumigay sa mga hayop—mga taong namumuhi sa inyo—umaalipin sa inyo—hawak ang inyong leeg—nag-uutos sa inyo–kung anong dapat isipin at damhin!”

 

These are the emotional words of director Joel Lamangan in a video released Monday, July 6, just three days after President Rodrigo Duterte signed the Anti-Terror Bill into law on Friday, July 3.

It was translated from the 1941 American film The Great Dictator by British actor-filmmaker Charlie Chaplin and served as a parody of German dictator Adolf Hitler during the height of World War II.

The famous speech from The Great Dictator became symbolic of sentiments of protestors over the Anti-Terror Law.

Speakers, artists, media practitioners, senators, celebrities and representatives from various sectors of the society came together to take part in the video project.

The Great Dictator speech was translated into Filipino by Rody Vera, a writer, theater actor and director, TV and movie player, and activist.

Chuck Gutierrez uploaded the nearly six-minute video on the Voyage Studios Facebook page.

John Lloyd Cruz led the popular artists involved in the protest video.

He put on a fake moustache, a trademark of Hitler, who was played by Charlie Chaplin in the 1941 satirical film.

“Kinalulungkot ko, pero ayoko maging diktador. Hindi iyan ang gusto ko. Ayokong mamuno o manakop ng kahit sino,” John Lloyd recited while donning a Hitler mustache.

Also included in the video are Kapuso actress Janine Gutierrez who said: “Ang buhay ay maaaring maging malaya at maganda, pero tayo’y naligaw ng landas.”

The talk emphasized the importance of humane principles and goodwill.

Lotlot de Leon concludes: “Pag wala tayo nito, magiging marahas ang buhay, at guguho ang lahat”

The participants in the video encouraged everyone to unite and argue that true power lies in the people, as stated under under the Preamble of the Philippine Constitution: “the sovereign Filipino people.”

In the final part of The Great Dictator speech, Kapuso actress Jasmine Curtis Smith says: “Mga kababayan, sa ngalan ng demokrasya, magkaisa tayo!”

Repeating the phrase “magkaisa tayo!” are Kapamilya actresses Iza Calzado and Agot Isidro, and Kapuso actress Glaiza de Castro.

The protest also included National Artist BenCab, directors Carlos Siguion-Reyna and Bibeth Orteza, senators Risa Hontiveros and Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, educators Sister Mary John Mananzan, Winnie Monsod, and Randy David, and Rappler’s Maria Ressa.

The video includes the hashtags “#JunkTerrorLaw” and “#UnitedForDemocracy.”