Introduction to Print
Oral History of Tony Calvento
November 28, 2003
By Anjeli Pessumal and Karess Rubrico

Q. ...you to be employed in a newspaper? How did you get into the newspaper business?
A. Actually, I didn't start with the newspaper. I started right away with the big league, which is television. I was working as a scriptwriter I did about over thirty screenplays when I graduated from Ateneo. So I started directing some news for channel 13, until I was asked to submit - to think of a format which would click to the masses, some thing like a run of the mill type of a show so I thought of a - remember this - this was something like 1989 I thought of a crime, docu-drama show with the format was to be able to help people who are victims of crime and injustice. And at the same time, there was a need to address the peace and order situation.  Like criminals on the loose and I thought that maybe through television, which is audio-visual we might be able to help people, victims of crime and injustice, so I thought of Hotline sa Trese, wherein it was then-Senator Joseph Estrada who was doing nothing but sleeping sa Senate (laughter) tumutulo ang laway diba, na natutulog, but he was a champion of the masses, diba, parang may mass appeal and I thought of a show na, wherein na lalabanan niya ang kriminalidad, will fight crime, and I showed him the format and instantaneously he read it. I just didn't know if he understood it because it was in English but he said, "Maganda to ah direk". Sabi sa akin, "Director maganda ito ah. Sino ang iniisip mong lumabas dito?" Sabi ko, "Senator, kaya nga nandito kami sa Senate, obviously, I want you to come out in it" and he said to me this, and he said, even without thinking and without asking in fairness to Erap, he didn't even ask how much he was going to get so he came out in it. The show started 1990-1991? 1991-1992? And with God's help it drew some, a lot of support. I won, it won, the show won the Best Public Service Show for back to back sa PMPC awards. I was the director, the Best Director for the Public Service Show and Joseph Estrada was, he won back to back award for Best Public Service Show Host. Then it was time for Erap to, to move on in his political career. He ran as Vice President and won. Channel 13 was asking me if I wanted another person to host it. I felt that, I'm the type of person who's all or nothing eh. Yun bang ang feeling ko, I made a format, it fitted Joseph Estrada and to get another replacement would be a, para bang, a poor choice, poor choice just a second choice na it wouldn't fit the person that well. So I decided to shelve the Hotline sa Trese format for a while. And not too long after that, a friend of mine, the late Fred Marquez called me up and asked me how busy I was. And I said, "Well, I'm busy with other things, I'm trying to go back to the mainstream of television." So I started doing a format for channel 9 which is Action 9 hosted by Dong Puno, Ray Langit and Mon Tulfo. I made the format for that show, but unfortunately, sometimes not all things come out well, you know, because I was already the director and they shot the pilot show, the format is there, I never got paid for it, but there was a misunderstanding between the producers and there are times that you have to make a stand. The other producer was telling me that he was going to get this director and continue with the show, and he wanted the other producer out. But the other producer was my producer in Hotline sa Trese. So you know, between a friend and well, my money in the bank, at that time I felt that if my friend, the producer of Hotline sa Trese which was Boy Gavo which was, who was going to be eased out of the show, I'd rather not direct it anymore. So Lino Barte, the producer of the show, asked me, "What about the format, can we just pay you for the format of Action 9?" So I said I'll just give it as a gift for Dong, for Mon and for Ray. And so I dropped the show and that was the time Fred Marquez said that "Would you like to write for People's Tonight?" So I said, "Well, why not?" Again, we never talked about the fee. I started July 7, 1993. That was my first stint, or first well, first writing for newspaper. And I still remember the title which was Co-ed Slain by Sex Maniac. (laughter) I still remember that. You know it was just, we had an agreement, Fred and I, that it was just going to be a once in a while thing. That I'll submit one story, and then we'll play it by ear, you  know the next story, I'll submit it when I have the time or if the reaction was alright during the initial release of that newspaper People's Tonight. Oh by the way, that tabloid did not have any bold pictures. (laughter) It was a clean tabloid. I never wrote, this much I can say, that I don't write for smut tabloids. (laughter) So before the day was over, at around 4:00 in the afternoon, uso pa non ang mga Easycall pagers, I got a text - it was not a text - it was a message from Fred Marquez saying, "Can you submit your second story for tomorrow?" So, well, pressure for me is nothing new anymore, so I wrote my second story and believe it or not again, that was ten years ago, I remember the title Death Knocks on the Door. That was the second - now the third one I don't remember anymore, okay? (laughter) So the first two I remember. Death Knocks on the Door. After that, somehow maybe because of my background in scriptwriting and television, I, there was more than just news reporting in my column which was entitled also.. that was where the title came from, Hotline sa Trese, my column in People's Tonight became Hotline by Tony Calvento. That's how it started. So I became a regular for People's Tonight. I was writing everyday, but the pay was not that good, but the fulfillment was overflowing. Not too long, I was called by the publisher of People's Journal Incorporated - Philippine Journalists Incorporated, I'm sorry, and I was asked if I could write for the morning newspaper, which was People's Journal. Your father Gobind is very familiar with the two, both tabloids. So then I asked them - because malakas na yung following eh - alam mo, negosyo pa rin yan eh, diba? If the circulation doesn't go up, they wouldn't get you. So I said let's talk. What are your terms and conditions? I'll be writing for People's Journal in the morning, and People's Tonight in the evening diba? So I said, why not? Diba? So I said, let's try for that. And in a matter of about six to eight months, lo and behold, I get a visitor from well, I was writing downstairs with all the other journalists, Ruther Batigas was the veteran reporter or columnist, of People's Journal, People's Tonight at that time, but let me resort to say that maybe it's because of my charm, my good looks and my nice body (laughs) that my publisher, I really don't know, maybe God's faith or God's it was all providential you know, God paved the way, Ruther Batigas got fired because of the Rolito Go incident, and all of a sudden, I was given his office that was really big because it had, people had already been coming in to People's Journalists Incorporated, looking for me, and asking for their problems to be published. So I was given a the office of Ruther Batigas, at first I didn't want to, because I felt in deference to Ruther, but then I realized there was no chance for Ruther to come back, so I took the office, and I started writing there. I wrote for one and a half years. And then I received a call from Jun Rufino, Jun ____, actually Jun Rufino, of Edu Manzano fame, that's the manager of Edu. And she was in charge of production for channel 5. And they asked me if I wanted to - they were interested in getting Tony Calvento's Hotline sa TV to be shown on channel 5. So they were asking if I would be interested to have it featured. I was not too hot about coming out on TV, because I've always been in the background. So it was Tina Monzon-Palma who came out as a host. When it came out on channel 5, after just one season or thirteen weeks, I received an offer from Vic del Rosario to produce the hotline for channel 7. And just as I was about to sign a contract for channel 7, Charo Santos and Cory Vidanes of channel 2 talked with me. They set an appointment. We broke bread, actually it was not bread, it was just over black angus steak, we ate at Melo's, and they asked me if I'd be interested in transferring to channel 2. So I was in a dilemma. I said yes to Vic del Rosario, and here's channel 2. So I had to make a choice between channel 2 and channel 7. But it was a career move, I chose to go with channel 2. So Hotline sa Trese ran for.. I'm sorry. They changed the name from Hotline to Calvento Files. That was where Calvento Files started. That was around 1995. 1994?  1995? Lasted for about four and a half years, five years, it topped the ratings, did very well, a movie had been entitled, Calvento Files.. I think I answered all your questions, your first question was how I started with print. Now I went all the way to television and everything. And while I was doing Calvento Files on channel 2, in less than a year I got an offer from DZMM to host Calvento Files on DZMM. So I also hosted Calvento Files on DZMM, because obviously, I have a better voice than Ted Faylon (laughter) or any of those, or Noli de Castro, but kidding aside, radio was a different medium altogether. So I was a tri-media person at that time. Then there was one time, after the showing of the film and everything, and you get tired, you know, you get tired, I can't count anymore the number of cases I have solved. There was one time I told the Lord, "Lord, I asked you that I be given a chance to serve people. But I never expected you to send me this many people, this much people, that I'm getting tired. All of a sudden, I fell ill, something happened that somebody had to take over - it was Fred Lim - and that was how Calvento Files died, because of Fred Lim. (laughter) Fred Lim's Katapat. So that's it. After that, I, my doctor told me, I won't tell you what I'm sick of, but it's something, it's not a Sexually Transmitted Disease, (laughter) I got sick and I had to take a leave, 2002. I took about, I traveled, I sought medical help abroad, and when I came back 2002 December, Mr. Miguel Belmonte, si Migs, Miguel Belmonte of Pilipino Star Ngayon, asked me if I still wanted to write for, this was for Philippine Star Group of Companies. This is Pilipino Star Ngayon. And I said, "What's the deal?" And they said, "Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Calvento Files". I said, well, I just don't want to read.. yung mga kolumnista there, maliliit lang, pero yung sa akin, isang buong ganon, diba? I just don't want a small box type of a column, I want a column where I could express what I want to write, and I'd like to write about anything  I feel like writing, which is of course, within reason and not libelous. So I started writing for Pilipino Star Ngayon. After that, in about a month's time, they asked me, the Star Group of Companies set up a newspaper which was supposed to be a power-packed team. It had, it was going to feature me, Ruther Batigas, and the brother of Mon Tulfo, which is Ben Tulfo. The name of the newspaper is PM, it's Pang-Masa. It's just very new, so I'm writing every Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays for PM, and I'm writing for Pilipino Star Ngayon MWF. Then Mon Tulfo of Isumbong Mo Kay Tulfo fame comes to me - I was slugging it out with him you know, on the newspaper, he comes to me -we are good friends, yes we are. We might have had our professional differences, but we still are. So he came to me and.. remember I was the first person who ever directed him on television, because he was always read, and heard on radio. Well you know who Mon is, the way he talks and everything, he has very colorful language, so he asked me if I could direct him on Isumbong Mo Kay Tulfo on primetime, every Saturday, 6 to 7. So this is what, this is my, I'm entering my sixth month? As director of Isumbong Mo Kay Tulfo. And amazingly, with God's help, I'm still standing. (laughter). Well that's about it. Not too short, but in short, that is the way my career ran. 

Q.  Sir do you still write, until now, for newspapers? 
A.  Yeah. You were not listening. 

Q.  No, the PM..
A.  Yeah, the PM, for Pilipino Star Ngayon, , I continue. I still continue writing. 

Q. Sir what's the content of PM?
A. For PM, it's just for Metro Manila. The circulation is about 80,000 to 90,000 copies. But the Pilipino Star Ngayon, it's number one now, more than Abante, because there's more than 350,000 copies, and you cannot imagine how many text messages I get each time I write, put my cellphone number there, I receive more than - saying wala akong tie-up sa Globe or sa Smart eh - but you know, I receive more than two hundred to three hundred text messages. Just to look at it and open it, I get scared, because walang tigil eh, walang tigil ang text messages. So I write for two newspapers, I direct a TV show, I have two Lotto outlets (laughter), I have two sons, I have no wife, so it's very difficult for me, I'm all alone. But I have my staff who handles some public service things. I'm a consultant for the Department of Justice, under Secretary Jose Calida's DOJAC-Department of Justice Action Center. No more questions? 

Q.  We have a lot. (laughs) Sir could you describe the physical locations of the newspapers you worked for?
A. What?

Q. Physical location, kung saan po sila located..
A. Yeah, I understand physical location. What do you mean to say, the circulation? Or the place of work?

Q. Place of work.
A. Always, always, pagdating sa mga dyaryo, sa Port Area mo makikita iyon. It's always in Port Area, most of the time it's in Port Area, it's somewhere there - Intramuros, Port Area. I don't know why, but it's there. Maybe because the oil spills, sometimes ginagamit na tinta ng mga newspapers (laughter). 

Q. What about the facilities po? 
A. Well I had the luxury, the privilege of having my own office, and they issued a computer for me but I thought, Oh it's just a Pentium 2 so I changed it to a Pentium 4, yung mga ganong klase, from my own pocket, syempre. Basta they gave me a bare office and telephone, some desks, and I placed in everything that could be work related, including a sofa at the same time.

Q. What about the people that you worked with? Particularly yung publisher po ninyo, yung editors niyo, tsaka yung colleague niyo. 
A. Well to tell you honestly, I never had problems with my editor. Well my two editors now, God rest their souls, Tony Mortel and Fred Marquez, I'm glad to say they didn't die because of me. But we had good working relationship. I was spoiled, spoiled by these guys, the publisher Gil Santos, Guillermo Santos, of Philippine Journalists Incorporated, had so much faith in me and so much belief in me. And also with the publisher of Pilipino Star Ngayon who is Miguel Belmonte, the youngest of the Belmontes, related to Betty Go-Belmonte.. It's way past your bedtime, you've been yawning. 

Q. Sorry.
A. Am I boring you? Or.. (laughter) 

Q. No.
A. Miguel Belmonte is a very reasonable person, and he doesn't interfere with my work, and I don't interfere with his work. So it's a Live and Let Live type of a relationship. And I'd like to think that I never failed them, and I never missed a column, If I will not be able to write, I will inform them that I will not be able to write. Sometimes he tells me, well he was very worried about accepting the editorial job, that I might like my being a director again, that I might give up writing, but I assured him that writing is like second nature to me. Now regarding sa colleagues, noh, Oh I'm very notorious when it comes to colleagues (laughter). You hear - Gobind will tell you that - you hear that a news editor that I punched in the jaw, cos he messed around with my column. Well I thought he was man enough, because... but if you notice, I'm just a little on the heavy side, (laughter), you know, so one punch from me and he came crashing down. And it was all over the newspapers, every time I punch someone, it's all over the newspapers. 

Q. Sir what year was this? 
A. Oh Gobind will tell you that. I think it was around 1997? Around that time? I was very notorious about that. And nothing about corruption, no violence, no pianos. (laughs) No guitars, only violins. (laughter)

Q. What about your working conditions? Yung working hours po ninyo. 
A. That I'd.. I'd like to think... Well I describe myself as a last-minute man. If you can notice, I'm doing the editing for the Mon Tulfo show. You know what time it is? It's 10 in the evening, and that's supposed to be aired tomorrow. That was supposedly edited a couple of days ago. But since I'm the director and all these people are under me, 

Q. They have to work under your...
A. They have to adjust to my time. So I'm a last-minute man, I work best when I'm under pressure. Sometimes the deadline for the newspaper is at 4:00 in the afternoon, around 3:30 I'm still thinking of what I'm going to write. 

Q. Exactly. (laughter)
A. You know, so it's that type. And I'm so pleasant, I'm such a pleasant person that when they give me a call, I always snap back and tell them, I know what I'm supposed to do, I know when my deadlines are, and I'm going to submit it. If I don't submit anything, it means I'm not going to write. But I'll inform you. But I'm always able to deliver, I'm like Shakey's. I deliver. (laughter) 

Q. Sir what about holidays po?
A. Holidays. I spend it with my two kids. I had three kids, the other one is with the Lord already, my eldest, the two kids, I find time to spend it with them. Just today we checked out of Vivere Suites in Alabang, the Executive Suites in Alabang. They study in St. Benedict's in Alabang, they had their tests and they said, I told them because - You see, we have three telephones in the house, and these kids are 16 and 14. And since their father is good-looking, they're good-looking also, so they get (laughter) calls from girls, and they have a tendency to stay on the phone. So I said, "Why don't I pull you out?" Because my youngest son is vying for honors. And ask me about my other son, if he's intelligent. Ask me.

Q. Is he?
A. He's a very good basketball player. (laughter) Ask me if he's intelligent again.

Q. Is he intelligent?
A. He's a very good PlayStation player! (laughter) But he doesn't have any failing marks, that much I can say. My other son, he is the Editor-in-chief of the St. Benedict Chronicles, and I'm stiff scared that he's just about ready to follow my footsteps. (laughter) Why? Why? Because there are a lot of good writers and good MassComm students out there that are very very very good, very intelligent, but sometimes, you know, they're not given a break. I'm not sure if my sons will be given the break that the Lord gave to me. Sometimes it's not what you know, or who you know, sometimes - no all the time, if God - well if you pray enough, and you do your best, really God will give you a chance. So I'm not too sure if I'm a hard act to follow. So I keep telling him, why don't you take up something like Accountancy, or something like - don't take up Mass Communication, it's a field for sissies. (laughter) It's really very hard, you know, because look at all the Tulfo's around. They're like mushrooms, they're all over the place. (laughter) Everybody's trying to -

Q. Be like Mon Tulfo.
A. Diba? It's very difficult. And the way I see it, nothing beats the original. Like you have a Tony Calvento, and there's his son, they already have a chip on their shoulders, they already have a drawback, which is - it is inevitable for them to be compared to me. How could they possibly surpass a person who has won the New York Television Festival, bested Baywatch and other shows and everything, someone who is a two-time Star awardee for Best Public Service Show, who has a movie made of his life, and who has been top-rating for channel 2 and DZMM. But maybe he can do it, but I'm not too sure. I'd rather he would go into something where our country is moving towards or maybe the world is going towards, which is technology, automation, but I'm having a hard time with him. I think he's hell-bent in taking up Broadcast Journalism. But it's still too early to say, because he's in third year. Ask me about the fourth year. The fourth year student doesn't want Mass Communication at all. (laughter) Any more?

Q. What was your first article..
A. I just told you

Q. Co-ed Slain...Co-ed Slain by Sex Maniac.
A. Yeah well it was about. Let me see if I... I don't remember the name of the girl anymore. But the girl, she used to stay in Biñan, Laguna, and she loved to write poetry, and she was a student of UST. And the father was a seaman. On her way home, one time, in a secluded area, there was this maniac who tried to rape her. The girl fought back. The person wasn't able to rape her, so instead of all the frustrations, he stabbed her to death. That was about, that was the first article. 

Q. What were the impor-...Sir was this article given to you, or did you find it yourself? 

A. Since I was the director of Hotline sa Trese and we were delving on crime stories, and I stopped because of Erap was going to run for public office, the family of the slain co-ed came to me for help. So I said, "I don't have a show right now, but when I do get a chance, I'll write about your daughter." The name is now slowly coming back, but maybe a little later, I'll remember the name. 

Q. What were the important lessons that you learned out of your first article?
A. The first article? You know it's very difficult eh, kasi I came from television. Television has a way of, since it's audio-visual, it's very potent. It has a tendency to shock you more than print. So the lessons I learned? I already learned that on television. One thing for sure though, is that it gives you a feeling of - a numbing feeling, you get numbed, you get mixed feelings of anger, compassion, you get feelings of.. you question, "Why this girl?" Then you have this irresistible urge to personally get this person. So that's what I learned, the greatest lesson I learned is to be patient, to be patient. Because God works in many ways, and he has oftentimes, all the time, not just oftentimes, will help you. In all the cases that I have solved. So I have learned to think about the word silent. Silent. When you  jumble up and juggle up the word, you come up with another word, which is listen. And I have learned to be silent and listen with my heart. God will tell you and will guide you on how to address a particular case that you're holding. That's what I learned.

Q. What was your most difficult assignment? On print?
A. Well I had a lot of cases... what do you mean to say, that I solved? Would you say I solved? Or continue to remain unsolved?

Q. Both, sir.
A. The difficult, the most difficult assignment I had was to get Elmer Palicpic which was the killer in the Lipa massacre. I don't know if you've heard of the Lipa massacre. It was made into a movie by Carlo Caparas and Donna Villa. Because this person slaughtered two children, a housewife, and he started hiding. So I started hunting him down. I could name you many many difficult assignments. The Oroqueta massacre, Joven Salon. It took me months before I was able to track down this guy and finally, we lost one person while trying to get him. We were just about ready to apprehend him, he throws a grenade, one of my men gets killed, I was with the NBI at that time. Gets killed, so we had to wait again, wait several months. Another difficult assignment I had was the Taguig massacre. Four women were butchered- raped and butchered by these Muslim brothers. But again I was able to capture these people. Another difficult assignment I had was to get the most wanted criminal in Southern Luzon, which was Henry Calica, a police from Parañaque, and his cousin Joey Calica. Because they were out to get me, when they realized that I was showing their story to their faces. They were out to kill two people: Korinna Sanchez and myself. (laughter) So when I found out, that he was out to get me, I personally, with the help of Cesar Mancao, of the PAOCTF fame, and Panfilo Lacson, by the way, he's not a faggot. (laughter) Panfilo Lacson, we were able to, I was able to get him at Calamba. And then there was this Valen Lanestosa, that was featured in the Calvento Files the movie featuring Claudine Baretto about this epileptic girl who was again raped and brutalized and thrown into a well, a thirty feet well sa may school nila. I was able to track down her killer. The killer was her teacher in Physics. So you better be careful of your teacher in Physics. (laughter) I'm just kidding. There are many many difficult crimes that I have solved. The other one was the septic tank murder. Wherein a whole family killed the boyfriend of their daughter and buried this guy in a septic tank. For two weeks, the body was inside a septic tank, so you can imagine, this was a stinking story. (laughter)

Q. This was recent, wasn't it?
A. Yeah, that was one of the last ano. And another one was the Banting, the Emmanuel Banting, the five year old boy who was beaten by his father and thrown against the wall and he died. I was able to capture the man right away, but the courts set him free because there was no warrant of arrest. The courts set him free because there was no warrant of arrest, and finally when the warrant of arrest came out, he was nowhere to be found. So again I had to look for this man. And when I found him, I broke his arm. Joke, joke, joke. (laughter) But that's true. When I found him, I brought him to justice. Another difficult case I had was the Parañaque massacre, wherein Wilfredo Villanueva killed five students, fresh graduate students who were out to have a good time, because they were going to work the following day, as waiters. They passed a chug-a-lug bar to have few drinks, and one of the guys there was good looking, and one of the GROs there had well, a liking towards him. Unfortunately, this GRO was the girlfriend of a Parañaque policeman. So after these guys came out of the chug-a-lug disco, while they were taking a leak against the wall, two Parañaque policemen hoed them down. Now what made it really difficult was I caught the first policeman...He was able to escape...escape his guard. I think he was set free, for a fee. And then, he left. He left the country. So he was nowhere to be found, until a balikbayan from Canada-(a) Canadian citizen, Filipino-Canadian citizen, told me that he saw Calvento Files, at the TFC Channel, the Filipino Channel. He told me where the person was. He was in Vancouver, Canada. Can you imagine the long arm of Calvento? I was able to get him-damn better than Wycoco, he wasn't able to get Rod Strunk extradited-I was able to get this guy extradited, and now he's languishing in jail, with a death penalty. Another difficult case I had was the murder of Gina Pedire, a young lady who was stabbed 40 times by a Filipino-half-Filipino, half-German, by the name of William Balls. I used to write about it, and call him "William No Balls", for killing a girl. So I had...that was a time I realized that people were trusting me because, imagine, five young ladies-five young girls from Northern Samar, from Catarman-do you know where Catarman is? Do you know where Northern Samar is? That's a place I don't want to go back to. Why? Because I realized that the Nike shoes that you're wearing now is [sic] is no match to the Filipino mud (laughs). When you start stepping on the Filipino mud wearing your Nike shoes, naiiwan yung suwelas ng sapatos mo. And the people there told me that William Balls was just hiding somewhere there in the mountain, and they said somewhere there in the mountain! My God, it was a 16-hour hike! Imagine, it was a 16-hour hike, so I had to walk 16 hours-it was a good thing I had another pair of shoes-I had to walk 16 hours with my weight, for 16 hours. And then I realized, I was with 6 NBI agents, and 10 PNP officials, I realized that we were in the heart of Bankerohan, Northern Samar, and somebody tells me-a guy from the PNP Catarman tells me, "Sir, this is a rebel-infested area," and I said, "Now you're telling me. They're gonna get me hostage here, they're gonna grab our camera, and I'm going to kill you if I survive this." So I saw this man, early morning, 2 o'clock in the morning, we saw where he was holed in the mountains. He was a big man, a Filipino-German. And while he was making his coffee, around 5:30-because I waited for the sun to come out, I wouldn't want any misencounters-I was able to catch him. The Oroquieta Massacre, Joven Salon, after several months, almost a year-I told you one of our men got killed, but after several months, I talked with, well, a cousin, and I made arrangements that if Joven Solon surfaces, to call me any time of the day. That he did. I had to go all the way to San Carlos, Pangasinan, to catch him. Unfortunately, he wasn't the only man who didn't want to give up easily. He chose to shoot it out. So, I was faster than he was. So, what else would you want? Those were difficult cases. And I can still talk about more-the multi-million peso murder-robbery of the late Doña Viring Asis, the owner of all these antiques, you know, the antique and jewelry shop. I can give you about 60 cases I have solved. Unparalled in the annals of NBI files.

Q. Who were your most memorable editors?
A. Most memorable editors? Without thinking, is Fred Marquez. Fred Marquez.

Q. What made him memorable?
A. Because he's a...because he's very kind. Mild-mannered. Intelligent. Understanding. Humble. Honest. And I would like to think that he was a walking encyclopedia when it came to journalism. He died in my arms, I was there at Lourdes Hospital. I was there during his last moments. I was a very close friend, and even to the family.

Q. How were your editors in terms of grammar, journalistic ethics, and accuracy?

A. My editors? My editors didn't find a need to edit my work because I speak impeccable English. I speak impeccable English, Ateneo English. But kidding aside, they (editors) were very good. But I'd like to correct you, it's not the editor in chief who edits the article or the columnist. It is the news editor, or...it's an editorial thing. First, it goes with the proofreader. So the proofreader tries to find out if there's a misspelled word or a typographical error, and then the next one...I had the luxury of Fred Marquez. He wanted my stories, and he wanted personally to edit my stories. So, he was the one doing all of my stories. Why? Because he wanted to read my story first, before the others. That was his reason. I asked him one time, "How come you always get my column? You never touch anyone else's column," because his job was to handle the front page. He shouldn't be handling feature articles. He said, "Well, I want to see what story you're writing about. I'm interested in your stories." One of the stories that he really wanted was the Jaime Jose story. The guy who...one of the rapists of Maggie de la Riva. What was even more interesting was a story that was given to me by the mother of Jaime Jose, who wanted to shoot me. Because I wrote about her son, but after that I told Mrs. Jose, "Why don't you just give me your story, and maybe you won't shoot me anymore, and kiss me and thank me instead." And she gave me her story, the way begged for her son's life, with President Marcos...oh, I can go on and on and on and on, but it's on the National Library, you can see it in microfilm.

Q. What were their attitudes towards deadlines?
A. Who?

Q. Your editors. Sorry.

A. My editors? Attitude towards deadlines...well, they realized that I'm a responsible person. That deadlines are meant to be met. And if you don't meet deadlines, they come up with an apology (in the newspaper), and say...they will never say, "Tony Calvento's column will not be featured today, but we promise you tomorrow it will come out." So their attitude towards deadlines was that they were confident that I would be able to deliver in the prescribed time limit.

Q. Did you also have any memorable colleagues? 
A. Memorable?

Q. Colleagues.
A. Ah, yes. They were very...but right now, Ben Tulfo, he's the brother of Mon (Tulfo). He's a good friend. Colleagues in People's Journal. I have good friends like Aber Galino, I have Itchie Kabayan, Jerry Tan... Al Pedroche, not too memorable, you know? In fact, I can do away with them. Just joking. He's a good friend. But I wouldn't say that...I wouldn't miss him if I didn't see him in about 6 months. We were supposed to be together-I mean, we're supposed to be writing for PM, but he was demanding so much. And what happened? He got fired again. So I will send him a book-that's what I told him, the last time I saw him. "Al Pedroche, I'll give you a book. The title is 'How Not to Get Fired'."

Q. What were your best memories as a writer?
A. Well, the best memories as a writer was [sic] that...the incomparable feeling, or the overwhelming feeling of fulfillment...that your heart leaps every time you call the person who had asked for your help, so that justice would be met, and it would be served for their loved ones who were victims of crime and injustice. Memorable are the times that I would call up and ask the family, "Do you have any news as to where the suspect is?" They would say, "Mr. Calvento, the last time I heard was, he's hiding in Zamboanga." I'd say, "Really? Do you know where in Zamboanga?" "I really don't know if it's Zamboanga del Norte or Zamboanga del Sur, but I know it's a Zamboanga." And then I'd tell them, "No, he's not hiding in Zamboanga. He's here already in Camp Crame. I caught him." And then you'd hear them shout over the telephone. Memorable...when you come out on the unpredictable Kris Aquino show, and you sit down there, and you don't know there's a phone patch all the way from the United States of America, from the mother of the five-year-old boy Banting-Emmanuel Banting-crying on the telephone, thanking me. But there's a...you feel a lump in your throat and a hole in your chest and you try to fight back the emotions that's gripping you because you're on nationwide television, and you say, "Piece of cake. It's nothing." Now you say something like, "Let's give back the glory, to the Lord." Believe it or not, you know, I keep on saying that. Without God's help, it wouldn't have been caused for. Those are the memorable things that I encountered in this kind of work.

Q. Last question na po. Aside from the previous cases that you've solved, what else were the other significant cases-yung kilala na cases-na na-solve din tayo?

A. Andami ko nang sinulat na ganyan, ano pa bang cases which is...aside from the cases that were shown, another one was the sa Nueva Vizcaya-it was a two-part kasi on Calvento Files eh, one was yung kay Claudine Barretto, Barry Levistona. The other one was the case in Nueva Vizcaya, the rape of a housewife and the killing of her husband. Another case was the...Sharmaine Bravo, a four-year-old girl was kidnapped by the housemaid. Sharmaine was going to be sold, but unfortunately the buyers backed out, because they couldn't take out the girl. So this demented maid killed this four-year-old girl and buried her...you know what burak is? Sa mud. So I was out tracking this girl, then finally we were able to-I was able to get her. And one of the other sensational case that I had solved was the...very recently, it was on the newspaper, the front page of Inquirer. That the killer, si Narag of Dennis Venturina, sa frat rumble sa UP, si Narag. The Supreme Court reversed...oh, not reversed, but allowed him to...acquitted him. And that guy is still as guilty as hell, for killing this UP student Dennis Venturina. That was a high-profile case. The Eddie Fernandez case, which I also handled, we were able to file murder charges against the four policemen. The other cases just skipped me right now. I think I mentioned a lot. 

Q. But sir, actually you haven't answered the question-I don't think you answered the question. What got you into public service and the crime beat, in particular?
A. I think you weren't listening very well. I was writing for... I was writing scripts, I was writing news for television, Channel 13, until Channel 13 asked me to think of a format...

Q. So the interest was always there?
A. Of crime solving? No, because at that time, when you say "public service", people always equated it with "Kapwa Ko Mahal Ko", people treated it with yung kay Rosa Rosal na "Damayan" o yung kay Cirilio del Mundo na "Damayan" o yung kay Orly Mercado na "Damayan". But then there was another facet of public service, which was helping the oppressed. People who were victims of crime and injustice. These were being addressed. There was no show, or no program that was tackling that issue. So I wanted to be different. I was ahead of "Hoy Gising", I was ahead of... all these now, it's like dime a dozen. These shows now are a dime a dozen. I'd like to believe that I pioneered all of this. I started all of this since 1990. 1990, there wasn't any crime show at that time. Not at all. Not one. But now you have "Imbestigador", you have "Isumbong Mo Kay Tulfo"... Everybody, but everybody. You have "Katapat", you have Loren Legarda. You have Fred Lim. You even have Rudy Fernandez in "Kasanga". Right? You have Joey Lina. But the point is, kasi ano yan eh. When you use your program for another purpose-like, you use your program because you want to go into politics, kung media ka, media ka. Diba? If you want to be a politician, be a politician. Yung kay Kabayan Noli de Castro, yung "Magandang Gabi Bayan" wala pa yan nung nag-umpisa ako dyan. Nauna kaming lahat dyan. Nauna ako lahat dyan. I started... and because of "Hotline Sa Trese", Joseph Estrada, a.k.a. Jose Velarde, was named the Chief of the PACC by Fidel Ramos. Because of that crime-busting show, "Hotline Sa Trese". And the funny part of it all, was that hindi man lamang kami naalala ni Joseph Estrada nung siya'y PACC Chief. What got me into it because there was nobody addressing the screaming headlines sa newspapers about brutal crimes. Heinous crimes. And perhaps, the direct answer to question is... there was this rape slay of two young girls in Pangasinan-also in San Carlos-who were raped and killed, and Cory Aquino, at that time-she was in power 1986. About 1988, this happened, then I realized that crimes were getting more gory, more morbid. So that got me into it.

Q. You want more questions or...
A. I just want to say, I wish I could do more than what I have done and if the Lord will give me a chance, again, I will not complain anymore. There are still some cases I would like to-that has remained unsolved all through the years. One of which is the Lailani Litam and the Arcia killings, two doctors, sweethearts, who were killed by a classmate from Perpetual Help, because of jealousy. The guy was courting the girl, and then he realized that the girl already had a boyfriend, so he killed them both. The family has been crying out for justice. Another case that I would like to have solved is the killing of Dra. Uy, the wife of Dr. Antonio Uy at Parañaque. She was practically killed and brutalized. Another one, still at lare is Melanie Blanco, the maid killer, that I would still like to capture. The Cainta Massacre, that continues to remain unsolved... there are still many things that I would like to do. The capture of this dreaded SPO2 Eleazar Perez for a massacre he had done. But then there's so many of them, and there's just one of me. And maybe the good Lord would give me the opportunity for one more dream. One more crack of it. For the love of the game. Have you seen "For The Love Of The Game", starring Kevin Costner? It's something like for the love of absolution, and crime prevention. I was able to crack this open, the cases I've started talking about, this... who doesn't want to solve the Nida Blanca case, right? Who doesn't want to solve the Jay Llamas case, the Ateneo student who was shot dead because of traffic altercation. Who doesn't want to solve the Bubby Dacer case? It has continued to remain unsolved. There are still many cases-forget about the other cases, like the Kuratong Baleleng, I'm not gonna say that they deserve to be killed. Hell, it's a sin to kill people, but isn't society better off without those type of people roaming our streets? Who's gonna guard our doors? Who's gonna guard our streets when everyone else will cower in fear, and wouldn't dare to try? If only each Filipino could be-I would call it "Mulat na Mamamayan", and we'd all share. Because, crime solution and prevention is a shared responsibility of every individual. And if we would only do our part, I would guess there would be no crime. The crime that would remain unsolved. The Filipino mentality of "wag tayo makialam dyan, baka ma-involve tayo", maybe we should do away with that. Because the next time, it might be you who will be the victim. And you would be wanting for help, for witnesses, and nobody would help. That's what I would like to say before we end this short-long interview.

Q. We got a lot. Thank you so much.
A. No problem.