Alexis Tioseco and Nika Bohinc. Photo by Christian Yambing.
It’s a gray day in September and yet again I have to put on a white blouse and my good pearls and drive to Sanctuario de San Antonio for a wake. Early Tuesday morning I woke up to learn about the senseless shooting and tragic death of film critic Alexis Tioseco and his girlfriend Nika Bohinc in their house on Times Street in Quezon City. Today I’m going to pay my respects.
I meet Carlos Celdran there and we see Quark Henares inside the small chapel. Two coffins are laid out in front and I am suddenly overwhelmed by a sense of loss that I cannot logically explain. I glance at Quark who is keeping it together for his friend; I can tell he hasn’t slept. The family of Alexis arrives and we clear out of the chapel so they can have their time alone with the dead. I can only imagine the depth of their bereavement.
The violence of the crime against Alexis and Nika seems almost unreal, as if in some awful massacre movie. Times Street is not a rough neighborhood at all; Cory Aquino lived on that street, too. Apparently the new maid let the robbers inside the house. They were looting the house when Alexis and Nika walked in. Quark tells me when the authorities arrived they didn’t have body bags, they literally had to procure blankets for the bodies. At one point, they were asking for packing tape.
(I hate to be an ass, but this article proves that Ms. Ria can write. This sounds rushed though, but I understand. I think she tried hard to control herself from breaking down crying while writing this one.
So haters: shut up.
And hey, I’m not Ria. My username tells me who I am. Google google.)
Now is the time for each one of us to stand up for Philippine cinema, the way sir Alexis did. This way his flame will remain burning.
Condolences uli.
I actually didn’t want to bring this up, and I actually like Ms. Ria’s reviews, but this isn’t a very good article. Mr. Tioseco deserves a better tribute. Then again, maybe it’s still too early for an elaborate article. I’m sure everyone who personally knows this young man is still in shock and still hurting from this very tragic incident.
Condolences, my dear.
You will be missed so much Alexis. Thank you for your gift of self. You will always be in our prayers.
I agree with Vomit. It’s a very early article. The tribute by Rogue’s EIC is better.
Maybe Ria should have waited for the funeral.
A couple dies violently in their own home and what do people comment about… the writing. Now that, too, is tragic.
yeah but the rogue EIC’s letter was full of lies. he didn’t know alexis at all. ria did. erwin did.
alexis never wrote for them after he left.
not even lav diaz could write a eulogy because he knew alexis.
he never did.
It’s been over 40 days and I finally found the courage to google Alexis. Thank you for writing this, Ria.
-Gang