Imagine that you’re doing well with your studies. You’ve made many friends while going to classes and regularly go party with them. While going out one night a lot of pictures are taken by others and you return home from a nice night. Shortly after you are arrested and the police tells you that you’re a suspect in a murder that has been committed on the other side of the country. Although you might initially be in shock you probably won’t worry much as there are dozens of people who can confirm your alibi. That’s exactly what happened to Paco Larrañaga in the Philippines. And at the beginning of this documentary, he is waiting for the day of his execution, with no more legal means to challenge this decision.
Unfortunately, miscarriages of justice can happen anywhere in the world and this case keeps the country in a tight grip for monthhs. Paco, who together with a number of young men (he did not know), is accused of having raped two sisters and throwing them in a ravine. The news around this case was anything but nuanced and Paco was depicted as a beast. The people wanted to see blood and there was a lot of pressure to convict these men. Director Michael Collins tries to paint a picture of the case, the different interests that played a role in it and how these have contributed to the conviction of Paco (and others). In addition, it quickly becomes clear that many “facts” are suspicious, including the role of the parents of the murdered girls and their links with both crime and people within the government, but also the way the judge handled the case.
Give Up Tomorrow is a well-constructed documentary, which slowly explains the facts to the viewer and regularly shows unexpected events. Both Paco and the parents and his sister talk about their experiences and the hopes that were regularly shattered. It’s a documentary that takes you from one surprise to the next and will make you angry. It is amazing to see what Paco has gone through, despite his obvious innocence. It shows that such a thing can happen to anyone and that is a terrifying thought.
God bless you