TOP-rating series “Incognito” is wrapping up after six months of gripping action, emotional arcs and suspenseful storytelling.
At their finale press con at Seda Ballroom last Wednesday, director Lester Pimentel Ong talked about its real-life inspirations and its explosive conclusion. He said the setting of its final mission couldn’t be more symbolic: Marawi.
“There’s no better way to end it than here,” Ong said. “We started the story in the Philippines, and we’re ending it here. We wanted to honor the heroes of Marawi. We wanted to honor the people of Marawi — their resilience, the soldiers that defended our freedom. ‘Yan talaga. We wanted to honor them.”

While “Incognito” follows a fictional band of mercenaries led by Ian Veneracion and composed of stars Richard Gutierrez, Daniel Padilla, Anthony Jennings, Baron Geisler, Kaila Estrada and Maris Racal, its story is rooted in national pride. The characters bear last names like Tecson, Alvero, Guerrero, Rivera, Malvar, Bonifacio —intentional nods to Filipino heroes. “That was the work of our creative team, our writers—headed by Sir Henry [King Quitain] and his group. Talagang magagaling sila,” Ong said. “It’s not just a show. It’s a tribute. We wanted to show the kabayanihan of the Filipino.”
One of the standout elements in “Incognito” has been its portrayal of strong, capable women in combat and leadership roles. It came from real-life stories, revealed Ong.
“This is not just for show,” he said. “Kasi totoo ‘yan. In real life, maraming babae ang lumaban sa Marawi. We met women who were pilots, who flew helicopters, who were snipers, who were soldiers on the ground. Kaya masaya kami na naipakita namin sa series ‘yung kagalingan ng mga babae.”
The director is particularly excited about Kaila Estrada’s performance. “I’m hoping for her to be the next female action superstar,” he said. “May potential siya talaga.”
He also lauded Maris Racal’s commitment to her role. “She’s the best actress. Ang galing niya talaga,” Ong noted, “Actually ‘yung last minute ko siyang ni-request kay Maris na, ‘Can you talk to Tito Joel in Ilonggo?’ Nagulat siya! But she took the challenge. Nagpaturo agad siya kay Tito Joel. That scene turned out to be trending.”
For Ong, directing “Incognito” also meant witnessing unexpected brilliance from his actors. On Anthony Jennings: “He is a genius. He’s a generational talent. Napakagaling sa drama, napakagaling sa comedy. Ang bilis mag-pick up. Marami sa mga adlibs niya, siya lang ang gumawa. I allowed him to shine. I just told him, ‘Sabihin mo kung anong gusto mong sabihin,’ and all of it turned out to be a hit.”
On Baron Geisler: “Baron is really one of the best actors we have — matalino, magaling. I admire not just his acting skill, but also his motivation to recover, to make a comeback. This is the first time natapos niya ang isang series, and mula ngayon, I believe magiging okay na siya. He’s really doing his best.”
On Ian Veneracion: “Ian is the glue that holds the team together. He’s my ally, my kasangga, my buddy in making the team work hard and stay inspired. Siya rin ‘yung nagpapasaya sa grupo. Siya talaga ang ‘Tito’ ng lahat.”
On Richard Gutierrez: “Richard is an action superstar. Kitang-kita sa lahat ng eksena — he’s a natural. He’s the muscle the team needs.”
And on Daniel Padilla: “Daniel is a natural-born superstar. People gravitate towards him effortlessly. As an actor, pinag-iisipan niya ang bawat eksena. Pinagpaplanuhan niya. Ang galing talaga.”
With the series now in post-production — editing, music scoring, color grading — Ong says the most difficult part is over. But when asked about a second season, he was careful not to make any promises. “Right now, we haven’t thought about Season 2. Wala pang napaplano. But it’s flattering to hear that people are clamoring for it. That means nagustuhan nila ‘yung ginawa namin.”
As for international recognition? “We’re not thinking about awards,” Ong said. “Pero isa sa goals namin was to produce something that could be at par with other international series. It’s about time we catch up. Hopefully, one day, makasabay tayo sa kanila.”
Despite the praise, Ong deflects credit to the whole team. “I just conducted,” he said. “Sila talaga ang tumutugtog. We’re very fortunate to have a really good creative team — our business unit head Miss Des de Guzman, Sir Henry and their brilliant team. This was a team effort from beginning to end.”