IAN VENERACION LEADS THE ENSEMBLE CAST OF REIN ENTERTAINMENT'S 'DRUG WAR'

IAN VENERACION leads the ensemble cast of Rein Entertainment's upcoming crime action series "Drug War: A Conspiracy of Silence." He plays Father Tom Carillo, a priest who finds himself in the middle of the chaos, conflicts and moral complexities surrounding the country's war on drugs.

- By NATHALIE M. TOMADA

drugs – a key campaign promise of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte which both gripped the nation and gained global attention. Produced by Lino Cayetano, Philip King, and Arlene Cuevas, and written and directed by Shugo Praico, it also stars Romnick Sarmenta, Jane Oineza, Lotlot de Leon, Yayo Aguila, Harvey Bautista, Ryan Eigenmann, Joem Bascon, and Volpi Cup Best Actor John Arcilla in a special appearance.

At the Asia TV Forum and Market (ATF) held over the weekend at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, "Drug War: A Conspiracy of Silence" became the only Filipino content showcased on the main stage of the event. The STAR and other Filipino press outlets were given a sneak peek of the pilot episode of the series slated for release in 2025. Now on its 25th year, the ATF is considered the region's leading international content market for buying, selling, financing, distribution and co-production.

Though there have been congressional hearings on EJK and drug war, the producers clarified that the series steers away from the polarizing politics or political debates on it, choosing instead to focus the narrative on the lives that have been caught in the crossfire and have become collateral damage.

The official synopsis reads: "Drug War: A Conspiracy of Silence" follows Father Tom Carillo, a once-privileged priest who's lost everything, as he teams up with a guilt-ridden cop, Yana Macabeo (Jane Oineza).

Together, they fight to expose a deadly conspiracy shrouding the truth behind the mysterious death of Kiko Agustin (Harvey Bautista), a former protégé of Tom's. As they uncover dark secrets from the drug war in the Philippines, Tom must confront his own past apathy to seek redemption and bring justice for a life lost too soon."