Robin the actor and in love

HAPPY WEEKEND
Gina Dizon

The offhand statement “Pakakasalan kita sa lahat ng simbahan” must have been actor Robin Padilla’s vow to his new found love, Mariel Rodriguez.

And so the story goes that Robin Padilla and TV host Mariel Rodriguez were wedded in a compound of the Carinos at Camp7 Baguio and solemnized by a mambunong (Ibaloi cultural priest) named Jimmy Ong.

Before the Ibaloi wedding rites last Sept 13, Robin Padilla also wed Rodriguez in the Taj Mahal of India in August of this year. In later days, we might hear Robin being wed in a Catholic Church somewhere. Then be wed the Muslim marriage rites because he is a Muslim.

Anyways, the much publicized Igorot marriage was later considered fake by a Carino descendant and noted editor, Cecille Afable, because the mambunong who officiated the marriage was fake.

Besides, a mambunong does not officiate marriages as claimed by Ibaloi and BIBAKnetter Nover Velasco. Seems the Padilla -Rodriguez marriage is the first mambunong officiated marriage! In an Ibaloi wedding ceremony, gongs are not played either, Velasco says. In the Padilla- Rodriguez marriage, the traditional tayao dance was performed with gongs.

Don’t know much about Ibaloi weddings but when the newly- weds’ faces were smeared with pig’s blood during the marriage rites, it was already strange. Haven’t heard about pig’s blood smeared in the faces of newlyweds in an Igorot cultural wedding ceremony, not even in my hometown in culture-rich Sagada. Besides, the mambunong donning a tapis (woven skirt) around his shoulder was also kind of strange. A tapis is worn around the waist of a woman, not around the shoulders.
Was Robin Padilla made to believe that the Ibaloi marriage rite was real and genuinely officiated by the mambunong? Maybe the marriage rite may have made a difference. That is, whether the event which took place was a wedding or a “blessing of some sort”, as claimed by Padilla’s cousin and personal assistant who arranged the so-called Ibaloi wedding.

Anybody of legal age can be wedded in any way he pleases. And if he is legally serious about it, then he is wed by a person authorized to solemnize marriage. As to the belief that such person is legally and/or culturally authorized to officiate the marriage, then he/shall prove so, if the authority of the solemnizing officer is questioned.

I guess it is elementary also that a person to be wedded shall belong to any religious sect or cultural tribe before he can be accepted by any officiating priest. Unless one is an adopted son of a cultural community, then such person I guess may be officially married the cultural way. In one cultural community I know, two people in love were “blessed” in matrimony the cultural way as one of the spouses was considered an adopted son of the place.

In Robin’s case, his lineage with the Carinos’ of Benguet stands questioned. Jack Carino, one of the descendants and great grandson of Mateo Carino, claims Robin is not a member of the Carino clan in Benguet. Earlier claims say Robin is from the Carino clan of Benguet, being the son of Eva Carino from the Carinos’ of Benguet.The Carinos’ however denied Robin’s lineage with the clan, or rather to prove his genealogy with the Carinos of Benguet. Robin though is considered an honorary cousin to the Carinos.

Comes now Robin the actor. He admitted the Ibaloi wedding was part of a show for ABS-CBN. That would now be a given for an actor and his trade. Any publicity stunt which helps in a movie would be an advantage for a movie. I add, as long as it is handled well.

Anyone can make any given situation for his own purpose. A businessman can make a promotional event for a product. A politician will make the birthday or the wedding of his daughter or son for political campaign purposes. As long as the event is legal and legitimate, there is no stopping for any activity in this world. Its acceptance is another thing.

As to cultural events which are in most cases sensitive, it now depends on a cultural tribe to consider so if any cultural practice is bastardized, demeaned, or desecrated and /or done for another purpose aside from the genuine reason of why and how such should be genuinely conducted.