Throughout the unforgiving clashes between the principled and those who are immoral in “Blood vs Duty,” Gerald Anderson’s altruistic character as Jalil Abubakar encourages people to tirelessly fight for justice even when faced with the corrupt structures preventing them from doing so.
In an exclusive interview with ABS-CBN Studios, Gerald discussed in depth both the strengths and weaknesses of his “Blood vs Duty” character.
LOVE: Jalil wholeheartedly treasures his family
Gerald first highlighted the admirable personality of Jalil simply by being a loving son to his adoptive father, Datu Rahman (Jaime Fabregas), and younger sister, Jamilah (Barbie Imperial). As soon as he recovered from his fatal injuries, which he sustained throughout the massacre at Isla Damai, Jalil promptly departed the island in search of the Datu.
While he successfully rescued Datu Rahman while being transferred to another facility, another kidnapping takes place, causing him to undergo more complicated investigations and a severe gunshot injury from the moment Felix (Baron Geisler) opened fire on him at the Dapayan Warehouse.
Jalil was then fortunate to be saved by Doctor Teresa (Susan Africa), Marcus’ (Richard Gutierrez) mother. Soon enough, it was possible for him to infiltrate NLEA and SID, becoming Major Allan Espina through the help of the president’s chief of staff Ahmad Mustapha (Robin Padilla). At present, Jalil successfully retrieved his father again from the unidentified abductors who took him away from Marcus’ (Richard Gutierrez) confidential custody.
Once he brought the Datu back to Barangay Surga, finally reuniting with Jamilah, Omar (Edgar Mortiz), and Norhana (Malou Crisologo), more emotional sentiments are exchanged, including his farewell before he carries on seeking justice.
WATCH: Jalil, tiwalang magiging maayos din ang lahat para sa kanyang pamilya | Blood vs Duty
LOVE: Jalil would do anything to protect his people
Among the many things defining Jalil as a noble character, Gerald underscored Jalil’s unwavering devotion to safeguard the welfare of his Muslim community. During the course of the massacre at Isla Damai, aside from battling with Task Force Alpha’s Marcus and Felix, Jalil was seen frantically running around but making sure to protect each villager he encountered to the best of his current abilities.
Right after his recovery, he didn’t hesitate to ask Jamilah for the painful truth, particularly their father’s arrest. While he grieved, Jalil also took action, promising to get revenge for his mercilessly murdered people.
In the middle of his second recuperation at Barangay Surga from another fatal incident, Jalil caught sight of Felix, who failed to break into the place in search of him. Seeing that the neighbors might be harmed if he stayed longer, Jalil made the decision to leave, even if he’ll be alone.
WATCH: Jalil, nagpasya na lumayo upang maprotektahan ang komunidad | Blood vs Duty
LOVE: Jalil is unstoppable when finding justice
Jalil already went through multiple life-threatening circumstances, but he continued to overcome more of these, especially after embodying the highly skilled identity of Major Allan.
On his first day working at NLEA, he instantly made a strong impression on his new colleagues, particularly Marcus, Felix, and Lara (Bela Padilla). For the tough-minded Lara, he sharply recalled the plight of the innocent Muslim civilians at Isla Damai during Task Force Alpha’s operation, rendering Lara to suppress her feelings of immense guilt since she knew about the truth about the massacre.
WATCH: Allan, ipinamukha kay Lara ang kuwento ng mga biktima sa isla | Blood vs Duty
CHALLENGING: Jalil’s intense emotions sometimes overpower his rationality
Gerald clarified that he doesn’t find much to dislike about Jalil, though he did point out a slight downside. “Wala masyado, maayos siyang tao… Siguro ‘yung intensity niya minsan kapag emotional siya hindi siya mapigilan,” he added.
Indeed, Jalil has an entirely compassionate personality, but when his intense emotions take full control, it leads him to make risky decisions. For instance, during the hostage inside S. Trinidad Hospital by Metal 13, Jalil kept urging Marcus to attack without a clear plan. In response, Marcus calmed him down, laying out their very careful tactics.
WATCH: Marcus, inawat at pinakalma si Allan sa operasyon | Blood vs Duty
In other cases, Jalil would let down his guard while tracking Marcus and Lara, at one point leading to his confrontation with the Gen. Carillo (Bodjie Pascua), his most formidable foe.
Keep your eyes on Gerald’s heartwarming portrayal of Jalil in “Blood vs Duty,” streaming on iWant and airing weeknights at 8pm on ABS-CBN sa ALLTV2, A2Z, Kapamilya Channel, and Kapamilya Online Live (KOL).
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