The Author Referenced for Maid in Malacañang's Mah-Jongg Scene Has Spoken Out Against Darryl Yap

In response to the backlash to the mah-jong scene from the Maid in Malacañang teaser, VinCentiments on Tuesday, August 2 posted on Facebook about Darry Yap's supposed reference for the storyline.

"Bagamat hindi po namin maintindihan bakit nagcomment ang CARMELITE SISTERS, gayong wala naman po si President Cory sa Cebu nang maganap ang phonecall… bilang respeto ay hindi na namin palalakihin," the Facebook post read. "Wag po natin sulsulan at ipahamak ang mga Madre. Pakiusap."

It continued: "narito po ang bunga ng research ng Team Darryl Yap. In this 1988 Magazine (from Page 19), Mababanggit po ang pangalan ng pinakamalapit na Madre kay President Cory, her name was SISTER CHRISTINE TAN, mababanggit din po dito na siya ay nagma-mahjongg."

VinCentiments, which was founded by Vincent Asis together with Darryl Yap, then encouraged followers to watch the movie themselves.

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However, In the Grotto of the Pink Sisters author, Anne Nelson, in an email exchange with Elmer Leyson Baldesanso, claimed that if we read the actual text, President Aquino went to the Carmelite Sisters for only the "purpose of meditation and prayer."

The email also said that Christine Tan spoke to the group "from her own comfortable background."

"It sounds as though Mr. Yap read the piece too hastily, and conflated two sentences," said Nelson. "There is nothing in it that says that the nuns played mah-jongg, with Cory Aquino or anyone else."

She also noted that there was an unauthorized Tagalog translation of the piece published in the Philippines which, she stressed, "misinterpreted my reporting."

The author ended the email by saying, "I hope you can set the record straight in the Philippines social media."

Nelson is an award-winning American journalist, author, playwright, and professor.

Maid in Malacañang has received criticism about its portrayal of the events that surrounded the EDSA uprising and former President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr.'s exile. The nuns who sheltered President Aquino in 1986 also denounced the film.

According to VIVA Films, Maid in Malacañang earned P21 million on its opening day. Critically acclaimed Katips: The Movie debuted on the same day, as well.