Rather, it was indie actress and LGBT supporter Mara Lopez whose opinions captured the sense of outrage one ought to feel when faced with the murder of a person, whose skin bore cuts and bruises, a testament to the brutality the victim endured beforehand at the hands of the perpetrator of the crime.
“Why do we even have to dwell on that?” Mara asked in reference to the fact that Jennifer was a transwoman, a detail that has many Filipinos spouting off hateful comments about the victim. “The point is she was tortured, she was killed.”
“The only one who has a right to take away life is God. Even ants ‘di ko kayang patayin. Ang kaya ko lang patayin talaga, lamok, and even then I feel guilty. I’m vegan kasi, and an animal activist. Eh kung galit ako sa pumapatay ng hayop, ano pa sa pumapatay ng tao ‘di ba?” she told InterAksyon.com in an interview Monday at a press conference held by the newly christened Justice for Jennifer Watch.
The Filipino-Japanese daughter of former Bb. Pilipinas-Universe and Gabriela advocate Maria Isabel Lopez is the star of Ida Anita Del Mundo’s Cinemalaya film “K’na The Dreamweaver.” Here Mara plays, in her own words, a T’boli princess torn between saving her village and being with her one true love.
This is her second Cinemalaya movie, last year acting opposite Paulo Avelino in Alvin Yapan’s religious Bicolano film “Debosyon.”
She had to learn different languages for these films: T’boli for the first and Bicolano for the second.
Mara debuts her next two films, Cinema One Originals both, on November 9.
In Alec Figuracion’s “Bitukang Manok,” her character gets stuck in the winding road in Quezon, unable to get out for ten days.
She plays one of four friends in Malay Javier’s “Hindi Sila Tatanda,” a film shot using anamorphic lens, to panoramic effect.
“As an actress, I’m not afraid to be different from everyone,” Mara said. True enough, she has been making waves in the indie circuit for the roles she chooses to portray. “I’m at that stage that I want to make films that are good.”
As a newcomer, she played the wife of a shop employee who was forced to give spy-cam videos of herself to his employer in Ato Bautista’s “Palitan”. The film, which included scenes with Mara in the nude, earned her a Best Actress award at the Cinema One Originals film festival in 2012.
“I’m very open to doing many things, but there has to be trust with the people I’m working with, trust in the material. ‘Cause I’m such a liberal person. I’d want to explore so many things as an actress.”
She has the same attitude when it comes to the advocacies she supports.
“I’m not afraid to give people a piece of my mind,” Mara said. “Sometimes it can be risky. Some people, to protect me, will say, ‘Don’t be too vocal, don’t be too aggressive.’ But no, if I believe in something, I’m going to have to be vocal about it, I’m going to have to fight for it.”
She was 12 when she started joining her mom, with the rest of the Gabriela supporters, in protest rallies that tackled violence against women.
Mara last took to the streets when news of the pork barrel scam exploded last year.
Also an environmentalist, simply looking at a comic book (which she nevertheless loves to collect) makes her wonder why trees have to be cut for paper, instead of manufacturers finding a more sustainable way of producing such materials. She used to volunteer for PAWS, as well.
With her mom, Mara also supports Narcotics Anonymous events to help people battle their addictions.
Through her Instagram posts, she enjoys spreading the word (or in this case, the photos) about healthy eating. The surfer has strong convictions as well with regards to the need for awareness among people from her generation.
“Ayokong ma-trap sa generation na ‘pag gising, Instagram na agad. But I think I can use that in a positive way to promote causes like this. I want people to be aware of what’s going on. ‘Di ba sobrang lungkot na the witnesses are back in the States?!” the 23-year-old ranted, referring to the witnesses to Laude’s murder, believed to be members of the US Marines.
The Department of Foreign Affairs on Monday said that they were not informed “by the US side” beforehand.
“I am affected about what happened to her,” Mara said. “And it’s not something I want to be around. And in the future, my children, I don’t want them to be around that. Although we live in an evil world and it’s inevitable, I’m not going to sit around and do nothing in my house. I’m probably just one person, but my voice matters.”
source: interaksyon.com
