Is Silence a Death Sentence? How Green Bones Mirrors Real-Life Injustice
Written by: Trisha Jay Jayme
March 25, 2025
Courtesy: IMDb
"Green Bones," a Philippine movie directed by Zig Dulay and written by National Artist Ricky Lee and Angeli Atienza. The film takes a deep dive into the Philippine justice system by weaving together the stories of two main characters, Domingo Zamora and Xavier Gonzaga. It won the award for Best Picture at the 2024 Metro Manila Film Festival and even sparked discussion of the systemic issues within the penal system in the Philippine Criminal Justice System. Green Bones isn’t just a movie; it’s a way to spark discussions. It thoughtfully looks into themes of corruption, wrongful imprisonment, and how people lose their humanity when they get caught up in the system.
Domingo Zamora: The Silent Enigma
Courtesy: Daily Tribune
Dennis Trillo delivers an exceptional portrayal of Domingo “Dom” Zamora, a man condemned by his misfortune. His silence serves as a powerful signifier of the stifled voices of countless prisoners in the Philippines—the wrongfully convicted, the violators of their rights, and the misguided lost in hearsay from a system that swept them under the rug.
Dom is imprisoned for murdering his sister and niece, thus making him one of the most reviled prisoners in the San Fabian Correctional Facility. However, along the way, hints arise that begin to frame his story differently, suggesting he may not be the killer. However, it is his silence that provides the audience access to witness the brutality, corruption, and inhumanity of the justice system through his experiences.
As the audience, we begin to see the ugly element of wrongful conviction and how justice can be the least just for those who are downtrodden or poor. The film explores the lack of legal representation, coerced confessions, and a weak legal system that turns to innocent lives being lost to wrongful convictions. Dom's struggle is more than that, exposing frustration for the thousands of lives immersed in a system designed for punishment rather than justice.
Xavier Gonzaga: The Grieving Guardian
Courtesy: GMA Network
Xavier Gonzaga, a new prison officer at San Fabian, is driven by the loss of his sister, who he believes was murdered. The pain that he experiences becomes vengeance, leading him to carry deep suspicions of inmates, most especially the inmates charged with the horrific murder of his sister, Dom. Gonzaga journeys from a man driven by vengeance to a man confronting his prejudices, walking a path that reflects social prejudices toward individuals deprived of liberty.
Courtesy: SunStar Philippines
"Green Bones" serves as a heartbreaking indictment of the Philippine justice system, exploring themes of wrongful convictions, prison overcrowding, and systemic graft. The movie’s portrayal of San Fabian—a fictional penitentiary that is a stand-in for the real-life Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm—is a microcosm of these dilemmas. The story highlights the tendency of the system to emphasize punishment rather than rehabilitation, which can create cycles of injustice.
Within the context of prison life, "Green Bones" shows how former inmates face social discrimination as well as the marginalization of underprivileged groups and issues structural reform requirements. The story forces viewers to rethink both their understanding of justice and their proximity to inmates by breaking down all differences between themselves and prisoners. In addition to being an exciting film, "Green Bones" educates audiences about just moral complexities as well as pathways to forgiveness together with human resilience regardless of circumstances.
References:
WhenInManila. (2025, January 2). “Green Bones” Wins Big at MMFF 2024, Expands to 180 Cinemas Nationwide - When In Manila. When in Manila. https://www.wheninmanila.com/green-bones-wins-big-at-mmff-2024-expands-to-180-cinemas-nationwide
Trillo, D. (2024, December 21). SINEGANG.ph. SINEGANG.ph. https://www.sinegang.ph/press-releases/green-bones-2024-sgph?
“Green Bones” wins big at 50th Metro Manila Film Festival Gabi ng Parangal. (2024). Manila Bulletin. https://mb.com.ph/2024/12/27/green-bones-wins-big-at-50th-metro-manila-film-festival?