Mistah (film)

Sgt. Mario Cariño's (Robin Padilla) squad, along with a platoon of Army Scout Rangers led by a lieutenant is seen chasing Muslim rebels across a forest, was trapped and forced to retreat when an ambush was sprung, losing some of his squadmates. Upon returning to the camp, he was scolded by his superior (Roi Vinzon) for his insubordination, which he accepted begrudgingly. His squadmates heckled him, which he answered. Camp life is always tense, with rebel snipers taking out sentries, being bombed and retaliated upon by regular patrols in the area, they never forget why they are there. Sometimes, they go to a town where they buy supplies and treats for Muslim kids which they give upon, Mario spotted a beautiful storekeeper (Ana Roces). They do charitable works, which coincidentally, a rebel Emir is in the same village, but halted by an Ulama to harm them. They were later confronted upon by the same Emir, revealed to be the kid's uncle. Mario saved the kid earlier from drowning.

A sniper took out a sentry, alarming the platoon while Mario gets his regular taste of scolding by his commander. Days later, they welcomed several Privates led by a hot-headed Private (Joko Diaz) and his batchmates. Some older soldiers extorted the newbies. And when a fellow soldier was heckled by his fellow for being in love with a beautiful young woman, a brawl started among the other soldiers, until an explosion interrupted the fight, forcing them to lie down and were later punished by the Lieutenant. The soldier later committed suicide when he found out that the girl has broken up with him.

Rebels always harassing and looting Christian villages, which the soldiers always chased upon. He later got a leave, which his friend requested that he must visit his family nearby. Mario's life is further revealed, that he has a fiancée and his father is sick. His friend's wife is a blind woman. Many days later, he returns to camp, giving goods to his fellow soldiers.

He tried to court the lass, when he was stopped upon by a group of fellow soldiers from a different unit, he countered by showing some firepower, which the soldiers fled. But they fled upon when they spotted a truckful of soldiers to chase them out. He later received a letter from his parents, which his father died in sickness and he requested leave, which his lieutenant declines. He snapped and in drunken stupor, shoots at his officer's bunker, leading him to be reprimanded by their colonel in the office. The lieutenant was replaced by another newbie lieutenant (BB Gandanghari). Mario was forced to obey the new officer. As their new commander made him organize a patrol, the newbie soldiers joined him. When they patrol the forest, another ambush was sprung, killing some soldiers, including the three newbie soldiers and they were forced to retreat once again. Mario was blamed by his commander, which led to him punching his commander and a brawl started, stopped only when another explosion was heard. He later took the storekeeper in camp, but trouble starts when his fiancée came into the camp. The soldiers help the lass escape, while Mario distracts his fiancée.

The platoon was later tasked to meet up with a rebel Emir to talk to them, but indecisive results. As rebels disagree for their Emir's decision, they kill a soldier from the unit, along with his wife when they were abducted. The ringleader was executed by the Emir himself, which angers some rebels once again.

They ambush the lieutenant's batchmate's unit, which Mario rescued. And another ambush, which involves the lieutenant's patrol unit, was saved by Mario's squad. And the rebels used the incident as an excuse to attack the camp. Mario received his Officer Promotion exam results and ready to return to main base, when the rebels fire upon the camp with mortars and grenade launchers, killing some of them and putting the rest in their defensive position. They defended and repulsed an attack. As they send some runners, the runners was killed by the rebels and the rescue unit was bombed and killed by the rebels. The rescue unit's leader was captured and tied on a tree and Mario's unit, short in ammunition and outgunned, was forced to watch as rebels slashed the hapless officer, which their Lieutenant forced himself to euthanize his fellow officer. Romy (Rommel Padilla) tried to rescue the commander, when he was killed by a rebel shot him in his M203 grenade launcher. And another juramentado attack by rebels kills Mario's partner, but repulsed with heavy casualties. Mario, the lieutenant, the squad's sniper, the newbie soldier and three others prepare themselves in a last stand when explosions are heard, this time on the government's side. The government backup fire upon the rebels with mortars, rockets and air support, inflicting the rebels heavy casualties and forced them to retreat. The soldiers retrieve the dead, the lieutenant unties his fellow batchmate's corpse as the rain falls down, Mario was seen crying while kneeling.

The film ends with Mario quoting that "Nobody wins in a war."

• Robin Padilla as Sgt. Mario Cariño
• Rustom Padilla as Lt. Flavier
• Daniel Fernando as Daniel Aquino
• Jun Hidalgo as Kumander Malik
• Rommel Padilla as Romy De Jesus
• Roi Vinzon as Lt. Duterte
• Royette Padilla as Lt. Dela Cruz
• Liezl Sicangco-Padilla as Brenda Cariño
• Ana Roces as Linda
• Joko Diaz as New Recruit
• Joey Padilla
• Boy Roque
• Junar Aristorenas
• July Hidalgo
• Edwin Reyes Jr.
• Rez Cortez
• Bomber Moran
• Dindo Arroyo
• Val Iglesia

Mistah was announced by BB Gandanghari at a press conference in December 1993.[4]

• Mistah (1994) on IMDb