During the release of Maid in Malacañang, director Darryl Yap revealed in an interview that the film is the first in a trilogy revolving around the Marcos family.[4]Martyr or Murderer is the second film in this trilogy, to be followed by an upcoming third film titled Mabuhay Aloha Mabuhay, which will revolve around the exile in Hawaii of the Marcos family after the People Power Revolution in 1986.[2][4] Before the release of the trailer, the film was originally planned to be released in February 2023 in time for the anniversary of People Power Revolution, but was pushed back to March 1.[5] The film was not as successful as its predecessor, grossing around ₱4.8 million worldwide.[6]
Plot
Narrative acts
She has not aged
I like Ninoy
Basta, gusto ko siya
You have to be very ready with your hand camera...
Blessings of the NPA
Hope began to dim
Umuwi ka na
The movie begins with a voice recording of Senator Imee Marcos about what really happened to her family after her father Ferdinand Marcos was removed from his post as President of the Philippines and forced to exile in Hawaii in 1986. Then it flashes back to 1954, when Ferdinand, then a congressman of Ilocos Norte, hosted a party for his fraternity Upsilon Sigma Phi. Among his fraternity brothers were Mel Mathay and The Manila Times reporter Ninoy Aquino. In a speech, Ferdinand proposed to Imelda Romualdez, who came from a prominent family in Leyte, whom he only knew for 11 days. However, Ninoy had a huge feeling towards Imelda, but Imelda rejected him. In 1989, Imee who was in Morocco was visited by her cousin Maricar, who told her about what really happened after they were exiled. Then, Imee recalled the assassination of Ninoy Aquino.
In 1983, weeks before Ninoy was assassinated, there was a festive mood in the town of Sarrat, Ilocos Norte for the wedding of Irene Marcos to Greggy Araneta. Imee recalled that her mother would often talk to Ninoy in New York City. During their conversation, Imelda told Ninoy that he should be grateful to her and Ferdinand for allowing him to go to the United States to undergo heart bypass surgery. Ninoy would recall the day Imelda rejected him many years ago.
The last time Ninoy and Ferdinand encountered was in 1968, during the golden anniversary of Upsilon Sigma Phi fraternity. There, Ferdinand lambasts Ninoy for his exposés regarding the Jabidah massacre.
On August 21, 1983, Ninoy was assassinated. Imee, furiously confronted her father regarding on his statement that the New People's Army killed Ninoy. Imee suggested that her father should expose Ninoy's connection with the communists.
Imee told Maricar that she would not be able to come back to the United States and that they have lost everything because of Corazon Aquino (the Presidential Commission on Good Government sequestered all of Marcos's properties). While wandering around Morocco, she saw her father, and followed him. She remember when they were in Hawaii, she was asked by Ferdinand to leave to prevent her from any investigation from the US government.
Imee, received a piece of paper, with a letter from a hospital in Hawaii. Upon calling to the hospital, she learned that her father is dying. Imee asked Imelda to talk to her father. She asked forgiveness for all of the mistakes she had done. Ferdinand told her that he loves her before passing away.
The final scene shows Bongbong Marcos preparing for his inauguration as the 17th President of the Philippines, the prelude for Mabuhay, Aloha, Mabuhay.
On October 11, 2022, Yap announced on social media that he had started writing the screenplay for Martyr or Murderer.[8] However, Yap expressed that he will step back from his directing role for the sequels and focus on writing their screenplays. On November 7, senator Imee Marcos confirmed that the sequel for Maid in Malacañang is in the works.[9]
