''Iyo ang Batas, Akin ang Katarungan'' () is a 1988 Filipino action film directed by Leonardo L. Garcia. The film stars Ramon 'Bong' Revilla Jr.,

Eddie Garcia Eduardo "Eddie" Verchez Garcia (; May 2, 1929 – June 21, 2019), colloquially known as Manoy, was a Filipino actor, television personality, and filmmaker. Widely regarded as the greatest Filipino actor of all time, Garcia appeared in nearly ...

Paquito Diaz Francisco Bustillos Diaz Sr. (May 28, 1932 – March 3, 2011), known professionally as Paquito Diaz, was a veteran Filipino actor and movie director. He specialized in antagonist roles for both action and comedy films. Biography Early life a ...

Melissa Mendez Melissa Mendez (; born July 27, 1964) is a Filipina film and TV actress. Mendez was nominated for a Best Actress FAMAS Award for the film ''Kalakal'' (2008). Mendez produced an independent movie, ''Hilot'' (2009) with Empress Schuck. It was dir ...

, and

Romy Diaz Jose Romeo Bustillos Diaz (November 28, 1940 – May 10, 2005) was a Filipino actor. He performed in films such as ''Ang Maestro'' (1981), ''The Impossible Kid'' (1982), ''Gising Na... Ang Higanteng Natutulog'' (1995) and ''Si Samson at Si Del ...

. Produced by Buena Films International, it was released on September 22, 1988. Critic

Lav Diaz Lavrente Indico Diaz (born December 30, 1958) is a Filipino independent filmmaker and former film critic. He is frequently known as one of the key members of the slow cinema movement, and has made several of the longest narrative films on reco ...

gave the film a negative review, criticizing it as excessively cliché ("gasgas").

Cast

* Ramon 'Bong' Revilla Jr. as Dante Reyes *

as Mayor Oliva *

as Waldo * Kring-Kring Gonzalez as Rowena *

Charlie Davao Charles Wahib Valdez Davao (October 7, 1934 – August 8, 2010) was a Filipino actor known for roles in film and television. Early life Born Carlos Wahib Davao y Valdez in Iloilo City of a Filipino mestizo of Spanish and Arab descent ( Jordanian ...

as Carlos *

as Martin *Bing Davao as Atty. Tablante *Nick Romano as Ka Meding *

Renato del Prado Renato del Prado (January 26, 1940 – November 1, 2013) was a Filipino film actor. Early life Born Renato Natividad-Mateo on January 26, 1940 in Manila. Personal life He was married with 6 children. His youngest son, Janus is also both a film ...

as Selmo *Nello Nayo as Tomas *Allan Rogelio as Nestor *

as Cristy *

Anita Linda Anita Linda (born Alice Bueñaflor Lake; November 23, 1924 – June 10, 2020), was a Filipino actress whose career spanned nearly eight decades and had done close to 400 motion pictures. A romantic lead in her early years, she gained wides ...

as Pinang *Christopher Paloma as Ato *

Baldo Marro Teodoro Galan Baldomaro (January 1, 1948 – October 22, 2017), professionally known as Baldo Marro, was a Filipino actor, screenwriter, stunt director, film director and producer in the Philippines. He was awarded Best Actor by the prestigious ...

as Chief Rubio *Greggo Gavino as a barangay captain *Efren Lapid as Cosme

Release

''Iyo ang Batas'' was graded "B" by the

Movie and Television Review and Classification Board The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB; ; is a Philippine government agency under the Office of the President of the Philippines that is responsible for the classification and review of television programs, motion p ...

(MTRCB), indicating a "Good" quality. It was released in theaters on September 22, 1988.

Critical response

, writing for the ''

Manila Standard The ''Manila Standard'' is a broadsheet newspaper in the Philippines which, as of 2017, is owned by the Romualdez family. The Romualdezes, through incumbent speaker of the House Martin Romualdez, also own Journal Publications, Inc., the owner ...

'', gave ''Iyo ang Batas'' a negative review, criticizing the film overall as excessively cliché ("gasgas") and citing its title, story, action, and dialogue as examples. Diaz stated that "you would feel like you have already seen this movie many times or even heard it in a number of bloody radio programs." However, he noted that what can be considered the film's strength is its intense action, in the vein of films starring

Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (born July30, 1947) is an Austrian and American actor, businessman, former politician, and former professional bodybuilder, known for his roles in high-profile action films. Governorship of Arnold Schwarzenegger, ...

and

Sylvester Stallone Sylvester Gardenzio "Sly" Stallone (; born July 6, 1946) is an American actor and filmmaker. In a Sylvester Stallone filmography, film career spanning more than fifty years, Stallone has received List of awards and nominations received by Syl ...

. In 2016, in the early months of the

Philippine Drug War The Philippine drug war, also referred to as the Philippine war on drugs, is the intensified drug policy, anti-drug campaign initiated during Duterte administration, the administration of Rodrigo Duterte, who served as President of the Philipp ...

, Janus Isaac Nolasco of ''Kyoto Review of Southeast Asia'' cited the film as a demonstration of a general perception that Philippine society lacks an effective criminal justice system, with the hero Dante Reyes deciding to take matters into his own hands against a corrupt mayor.

References

External links

* 1988 films 1988 action films Filipino-language films Films about corruption Films about miscarriage of justice Philippine films about revenge Philippine action films {{1980s-Philippines-film-stub