Ricardo Cepeda, Jethro Ramirez, and Paolo Serrano talk about playing the bad guys in “Coco Martin’s Sigabo”

As our mighty Kapamilya primetime hero Gabo (Coco Martin) embarks on his first-ever mission as an official member of the covert vigilante group Anino, new characters have also been introduced to avid viewers of “Coco Martin’s Sigabo.” Among them are corrupt businessman and human trafficking syndicate leader Raul Montero (Ricardo Cepeda) and his two henchmen, played by actors Paolo Serrano and Jethro Ramirez. 

Viewers had already witnessed Gabo and Raul’s first-ever encounter in Episode 86, which aired on October 19. In the episode, Raul and his henchmen ganged up on Gabo after catching him with Misty (Ina Raymundo) at the house Raul had apparently given her. Misty serves as an operative in Raul’s criminal network, luring potential victims with promises of modeling opportunities and meeting prospective clients on their behalf. 

Just in his initial appearance, viewers immediately got to see the wicked nature of Raul, especially to women, as aside from preying on innocent young women, he also ruthlessly assaulted Misty.  

But behind the camera, Ricardo, Jethro, and Paolo all seemed to be quite the opposite of their villainous characters, showing their cool and fun-loving sides in an exclusive video interview featured by CCM Film Productions on its official Facebook page. 

Let’s begin with Ricardo Cepeda, who introduced his character, Raul Montero, as a businessman who runs a human trafficking syndicate involved in white slavery, exploiting young Filipinas by selling them to foreigners. 

Asked how he felt about being part of “Sigabo,” Ricardo expressed his excitement and confessed that he had actually been hoping to receive an offer from CCM Film Productions. Thus, when the opportunity finally came, he was overjoyed and did not hesitate to accept the role. 

Apparently, Ricardo can be considered one of the actors who has known Direk Coco for quite some time, having been acquainted with him for more than a decade. He fondly recalled meeting and working with the director for the first time in the iconic 2012 soap opera “Walang Hanggan,” describing Coco as a “very giving man, very inventive, very creative, and very fair.” 

When asked about the challenges of portraying Raul, Ricardo explained that his character is not accustomed to having anyone go against him. With his commanding presence and big boss energy, Raul is the kind of man who inspires fear and commands respect from the people around him, making it challenging to portray a man who is used to always getting his way. 

Despite being a seasoned character actor, Ricardo revealed that he still takes the time to prepare thoroughly for his every role. And for his portrayal of Raul, he disclosed that he actually conducted his own research to gain a deeper understanding of the character he would be playing. 

“‘Yong character ko is the type of character na gustong-gusto ng mga Pinoy na nakikita sa kontrabida na ‘yon din ang nakita ata ni Direk Coco—’yong salbahe, ‘yong matapang, ‘yong mayabang,” he elaborated, pertaining to Raul as the kind of villain Filipino audiences are probably familiar with in series and films—wicked, fearless, and arrogant. 

He further shared that through Raul’s character, viewers will get a glimpse into the lives of people like him who are willing to put others in danger for their own personal gain. He also hopes that Raul’s story arc will serve as an eye-opener, reminding audiences that such disturbing incidents do happen in real life.

Ricardo’s onscreen henchmen, Jethro Ramirez and Paolo Serrano, also shared their experiences playing the bad guys in “Sigabo.”  

Jethro, whom the older generation may remember as an action star in ’90s, imparted that the last time he worked with Direk Coco was in the long-running action-drama series “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano,” where he took on the role of a jail guard for six months. 

Describing the “Hari ng Aksyon sa Ating Henerasyon” as “very successful” and very blessed, Jethro praised Coco for helping many people both inside and outside the entertainment industry. He also expressed his hope of sharing fight scenes with the actor-director in the teleserye. 

Paolo, on the other hand, previously worked with Coco in “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo,” where he played Paquito, the trusted right-hand of Chanda Romero’s character Olivia. Thus, he hopes to make his current character distinct from Paquito, joking that he would be the “left-hand man” this time after previously playing the “right-hand man.” He also promised to make things difficult for Gabo, although he acknowledged that their formidable opponent would undoubtedly give them a tough time in return. 

Now that he’s part of another production helmed by Coco, Paolo shared how happy and thrilled he is to be involved in a project led by a director he believes consistently delivers top-caliber, solid, and long-running shows. 

The video concluded with Ricardo, Jethro, and Paolo expressing their gratitude to viewers for their continued support and inviting everyone to keep watching Sigabo. 

Will Gabo succeed in taking down the ruthless Raul and his syndicate? Let’s find out by not missing an episode of “Coco Martin’s Sigabo,” weeknights at 8:00 PM on ABS-CBN sa ALLTV2, Kapamilya Channel, TV5, A2Z, Kapamilya Online Live (KOL), or stream anytime on iWant!