INVITATION: Sa Likod ng Tsapa (Beneath the Badge) Film Screening - Narratives of the Global South

Fraymedia Foundation is proud to support Newsline Philippines, in partnership with POP Movie House, to hold the public screening, of the investigative documentary, Sa Likod ng Tsapa. The public screening will bring together attendees from various fields, including experts in media, state relations, civil society, and policy development and research.

Venue: The Bioscope, 44 Stanley, Braamfontein Werf, Johannesburg

Date: Friday, 5 December 2025

Time: 17h00 to 19h00

To attend the screening, please RSVP here. Food and refreshments will be served.

Global South Narratives: Relevance of Sa Likod ng Tsapa, from the Philippines to the South African context

While Sa Likod ng Tsapa is rooted in the Philippines, its themes are highly relevant to South Africa’s policing realities. Both countries grapple with similar systemic challenges in law enforcement, making the film a powerful lens through which to reflect on South Africa’s context.

Key Points of Relevance:

1. Police Corruption and Abuse of Power

South Africa, like the Philippines, has faced multiple incidents involving police corruption, extrajudicial killings, and misuse of force. Cases handled by IPID (Independent Police Investigative Directorate), the Marikana massacre, and recurring reports of torture and brutality echo the film’s exploration of impunity and the blurred line between enforcing the law and violating it.

2. Politicisation of Policing

The film highlights how political interests interfere with justice. In South Africa, allegations of political influence within the SAPS, factionalism, and interference in high-profile investigations reflect similar issues of compromised policing.

3. Accountability and Public Trust

Both societies struggle with declining public trust in law enforcement. Sa Likod ng Tsapa raises questions about who holds police accountable, questions that are central to current debates in South Africa about reforming SAPS, strengthening IPID, and ensuring transparency.

4. Moral and Ethical Dilemmas of Policing

The documentary humanises a controversial police officer and exposes the psychological burden of serving in a broken system. This resonates with South African officers working under harsh conditions, limited resources, and institutional pressure while trying to uphold the law.

5. Human Rights Violations

South Africa continues to confront cases of human rights abuses by police, particularly in poor communities and protest situations. The film’s critique of heavy-handed policing mirrors South Africa’s struggles with balancing security and rights.

6. Redemption and Reform

The protagonist’s journey from enforcer to advocate reflects an important African conversation: can police reform come from within? His transformation mirrors local calls for ethical leadership and restorative justice within SAPS.

Why This Film Matters for South Africa

Sa Likod ng Tsapa can serve as a powerful tool in South African dialogues on:

• Police reform and professionalisation

• Ethical leadership in public service

• Oversight and civilian accountability

• Restoring public trust through transparency and justice

• Understanding the human side of policing challenges

• The role of media and storytelling as the Fourth Estate

By drawing parallels between the Global South experiences of law enforcement, the film opens an urgent conversation for South Africans: How do we build a police service that protects without abusing, and serves without fear or favour?

Director’s Statement

“This film is not about clearing a name — it’s about uncovering the truths that live behind silence and power.” As a journalist and filmmaker, I’ve witnessed how stories of law enforcers in the Philippines are often reduced to sensational headlines. But behind every uniform is a human being — one burdened by decisions that could save or take a life. Beneath the Badge is my attempt to confront the complexity of justice in a flawed system. Hansel Marantan’s journey is not an isolated case; it is a mirror reflecting the moral crisis faced by many who serve within institutions tainted by politics and corruption.

The Director’s Cut offers international audiences an unfiltered view of his inner world — his faith, doubts, and longing for redemption. It asks questions that transcend borders:

• Can a man rebuild his integrity after being condemned by his own system?

• Can justice survive in the hands of the imperfect?

• And what truly lies beneath the badge we choose to wear — power or humanity?

— Editha Caduaya, Director

To attend the screening, please RSVP here. Food and refreshments will be served.

For more information or inquiries, contact: bongiwe@fraymediafoundation.org