NEWSFLASH 

---

JINGGOY PLAYS CONTROVERSIAL COP

Manila, March 21, 2000 - San Juan Mayor Jinggoy Estrada was willing to lose millions of pesos invested in a finished movie if the character he was portraying had turned out corrupt.

In a TV interview yesterday, the actor-mayor said he personally investigated the reports that Col. Jamias, the subject of "Jamias: Barako ng Maynila" was involved in an extortion racket.

"Mabuti na lang, nalaman ko na walang katotohanan ang mga tsismis. Handa talaga akong ibodega na lang ang pelikula, kahit tapos na at milyon-milyon ang nagasta. Kaysa naman ipapalabas namin ang sine na ipinakikitang magaling siyang tao pagkatapos ay lalabas ang totoo na siya pala ay corrupt," Jinggoy said.

One of the biggest action films to be shown this year, ''Jamias: Barako ng Maynila,'' produced by Millennium Cinema will have its premiere night on March 24, at the Robinson's Place Cinema in Ermita Manila.

The movie directed by Toto Natividad and stars action star and San Juan Mayor Jinggoy Estrada is a true-to-life story of one of Manila’s finest police officers, Col. Elmer Jamias. It also stars Angelu de Leon, Melissa Mendez, Jeffrey Santos, Rommel Montano, and John Regala.

Proceeds of the premiere night will be for the benefit of the Humanitarian Unified Group Rehabilitation of Drug Dependents in Manila.

On March 27, “Jamias” will also premiere at the Gaisano Cinema in Cebu City. Aside from the whole cast led by the honorable mayor, his friends consisting of Rudy Fernandez, Bong Revilla, and Phillip Salvador will also grace the affair.

Meanwhile, Mayor Jinggoy’s public service talk show “SaBayan” is back with a new format on RPN 9. This is aired every Saturday, 6 to 7 p.m. Lipa City Mayor Vilma Santos-Recto was the first special guest co-host of “Sa Bayan” last March 11.

---