Nida Blanca

Nida Blanca (born Dorothy Guinto Jones; January 6, 1936 – November 7, 2001) was a Filipino actress whose career spanned five decades. She was one of the biggest box-office draws of the 1950s and rose to stardom with roles in romantic comedies and musical films with frequent on-screen partner Nestor de Villa. She achieved Grand slam in 1987 for her performance in the drama Magdusa Ka!, winning Best Supporting Actress in all four major award-giving bodies in the Philippines. Blanca was a board member of Movie and Television Review and Classification Board in 1998 until her death in 2001.

Biography Nida Blanca was born as Dorothy Guinto Jones on January 6, 1936, in then municipality of Gapan, Nueva Ecija, Philippines (then a U.S. territory) to an American soldier father of mestizo descent named John William Jones, Jr. (1916–1942) and a local Filipina mother with Tagalog roots named Inocencia Vélez Guinto (1913–2006), she appeared in her first film at age 15. Actress Delia Razon successfully urged the head of LVN Pictures, Doña Sisang de Leon to hire Blanca. She was screen tested on October 6, 1951, by LVN Pictures where she reigned as "queen" of movies for more than a decade, doing mostly comedies opposite the late Nestor de Villa. In the movies, she has played a wide range of roles from a butch lesbian to a nun. She also starred in the hit TV comedy series, John en Marsha, where she played the wife who sticks by her poor husband despite her rich mother's constant harping. In 1958, she appeared opposite her contemporary, noted singer/actress Sylvia La Torre, and Leroy Salvador, in the LVN movie Tuloy ang Ligaya.

Blanca was married twice. As divorce is not legal in the Philippines, she separated from her first husband, Victorino Torres, when their daughter Kay was two years old. She later married her second husband Roger Lawrence Strunk (1939–2007) an American singer and actor, known by his screen name Rod Lauren in Las Vegas in 1979. The couple relocated to Manila.

Other activities In 1952, Blanca competed at the Miss Philippines Universe pageant where she finished as a top 12 semi-finalist.

Murder and aftermath

On November 7, 2001, Blanca was found murdered; beaten and stabbed 13 times in the back seat of her car in the parking lot of Atlanta Centre in Greenhills, San Juan, Metro Manila where she worked for the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board, attending screenings and rating movies twice a week, at the time of her death.

The prime suspect was Blanca's husband Rod Strunk whom the prosecutors said had hired a hitman to kill her because Blanca had disinherited him from her will. Investigators found that Blanca had up to in properties, including a Greenhills, San Juan condominium worth and a house in California worth . If Blanca had annulled her marriage, Strunk would get nothing. But if Blanca died before she was able to terminate her marriage, under the law, Strunk being the legal spouse would be entitled to a portion of his estranged wife's inheritance even though Blanca's will stated that all her properties would go to her daughter.

The case rested on the statements of witnesses and Philip Medel, a self-confessed killer who surrendered to PNP Task Force Marsha on November 19, 2001, and confessed that Strunk had hired him to kill Blanca. Medel recanted his testimony four days later, claiming the police had tortured him into confessing. The prosecutors said medical examinations had found no evidence to back his claim of torture.

Despite Medel's recantation, Strunk remained the prime suspect according to Philippine prosecutors, based largely on circumstantial evidence and statements of new witnesses. Strunk was in the U.S. in 2003 when he was charged with the murder of Blanca. He left the Philippines in January 2002 to visit his mother who was dying at the time and never returned. He was later arrested at his home and detained at the Sacramento County Jail after the Philippine government filed an extradition request against Strunk to stand trial in the Philippines. The U.S. court denied the extradition request and Strunk immediately was released from jail. The Philippine government had filed a second extradition case against Strunk but did not receive any official response from the United States government.

Strunk committed suicide on July 11, 2007 by jumping from a second-floor balcony of the Tracy Inn in Tracy, California where he had been staying for the previous three days.

Kaye Torres lamented in 2008 that after seven years, the criminal case is still pending trial. She stated that she is convinced Philip Medel is guilty of the crime.

Philip Medel remained the suspect and was held in jail until his death on April 7, 2010 at the age of 62. Medel died of sepsis caused by pneumonia at the Philippine General Hospital.

The pending murder case on Nida Blanca was featured in the Philippine television documentary series Case Unclosed as its sixth episode titled "Nida Blanca Murder Case."

Legacy On February 17, 2002, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Mowelfund Film Institute organized a screening event of Blanca's films Waray-Waray (1954), John en Marsha (1973), and Magdusa Ka (1986) at the Pelikula at Lipunan film festival. The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) named a conference room after her during a ceremony in 2017.

Filmography Film

Year Title Role Ref(s): 1951 Prinsipe Amante sa Rubitanya Amor mio Venus 1952 Tia Loleng Korea Digmaan ng damdamin 2 sundalong kanin Haring Solomon at Reyna Sheba Tenyente Carlos Blanco Babaeng hampaslupa Romansa sa nayon1953 Tumbalik na daigdig Squatters Batangueña Hijo de familia Hiyasmin 1954 Dalaginding Waray-waray Upeng Galawgaw Pilar Luneta Tin-edger 1955 Darling ko Saydwok Bendor Ang ibong Adarna Indian pana Ikaw kasi Talusaling Julieta 1956 Handang matodas Luping Easy ka lang, padre! Aling Kutsero Medalyong perlas (Episode 4: Grand Finale Ganyan ka pala 1957 Sebya, Mahal kita Kahelyera Turista Tingnan natin Bahala Bella Miraflor 1958 Kastilaloy Patring Tuloy ang ligaya Casa Grande (Episode:Third Story) Wala Kang Paki Rosalina Anak ni Waray Limang dalangin 1959 Baguio Fever Tayo'y magsaya 1960 Navy Blues 1961 My Serenade Bakit ka nagtampo Pitong gabi sa Paris Walang sisihan Sikat na, Siga pa Awat na Adyang Adyang 1962 Jam Session Gulo kung gulo Bulung-bulungan Oy... Akin yata 'yan 1963 Sa atin ang daigdig Limbo Rock Ang Babaeng Sputnik Babaeng Sputnik (Lead Role) Adiang Waray Adiang Sosaything Tindera Away na Asyang ng La Loma Ecu tatacut! Isputnik vs Darna Naku... Yabang! Yeba!!! Chi! Qui! Chai! 1964 Utos ni Tale hinde Mababale Bumunot ka't Lumaban Patsamba-tsamba Everybody dance Pulis walang kaparis Si Doray naman... Doray Walang duwag na Bisaya Mabilis... Paa at kamay Pampatay Kaliwa at Kanan...! Pamilya Galawgaw 1965 Magkapatid na Jesse at James Jesse The Sound of Buwisit 1966 Huwag kang sumingit Utos Ni mayor Wow na Wow!! Adyang Batibot Adyang Batibot Shake Baby Shake 1967 Together Again Ayaw ni mayor 1968 Tiririt ng maya, tiririt ng ibon 1969 Goin' to a Go-Go Pag-ibig masdan ang ginawa mo 1970 Tulak ng bibig, kabig ng dibdib Tayo'y mag up, up and away Laugh Story 1971 Family Planning At the top Laff Story The Red Flag is up 1980 John & Marsha'80 Marsha The Quick Brown Fox 1981 Familia Antik 1982 My Heart Belongs to Daddy Forgive and Forget Nelly Dancing Master 2: Macao Connection 1983 Always in my heart Rose Saan darating ang umaga? Lorrie Rodrigo 1984 The Best of John en Marsha sa Pelikula Marsha Da Best of John & Marsha Marsha Anak ni Biday vs anak ni Waray Sa hirap at ginhawa 1985 John & Marsha'85 Marsha Public Enemy No.2: Maraming Number 2 Miguelito Like Father, Like Son 1986 Magdusa ka! Victoria "Toyang" Salvador 1987 Prinsesang gusgusin Family Tree Kid, huwag Kang susuko Ako si Kiko, ako si Kikay 1988 Ibulong mo sa Diyos Guhit ng Palad Sa akin pa rin ang bukas 1989 Impaktita Elvis & James Rosenda 1990 Too Young 1990 Mundo man ay magunaw Hot Summer Pangako ng Puso 1991 Darna John en Marsha ngayon'91 1992 Tayong dalawa Kamay Ni Cain Shake Rattle & Roll IV Mahal kita, walang iba Aventures of Gary Leon at Kuting 1993 Ligaw-Ligawan Kasal-kasalan bahay-bahayan (Segment: Bahay-bahayan) Pido Dida 3: May Kambal na Humanda ka Mayor!Bahala na ang Diyos Di na Natuto (Sorry na, puede ba?)1994 Pinagbiyak na Bunga-Lookalike Dorie Geron Olivar Aling Corazon Kadenang Bulaklak Elsa Abolencia Vampira Nena Deadly Brothers1995 Ipaglaban Mo: The Movie Magdalena Ikaw pa... Eh love kita Korina's aunt Hataw na Connie Tejeros1996 April Boys: Sana'y mahalin mo rin ako Inay Madrasta Fides Ang TV Movie: The Adarna Adventure Cedes1997 Batang PX Cedes Babae Lola Adora Minsan lang magmahal Auring1998 Ikaw pa rin ang iibigin Dr. Tagle Mother Ignacia:Ang uliran Hiling Lola Melyang Sana pag-ibig na Linda Perez1999 Mula sa puso: The Movie Carmen Soltera Sandra's Mother2000 Yakapin mo ang umaga Pacita Biyaheng Langit Lola Amor2001 Abakada...Ina Matilda Love text Cielito Ano bang Meron ka? Mother Tering2002 Kung ikaw ay isang panaginip (Last movie appearance) Fairy

Television Year Title Remarks 1960 The Nida-Nestor Show 1966 Tangtarantang 1973–1990 John en Marsha 1990–1996 Lovingly Yours, Helen 1991 Maalaala Mo Kaya Episode: Valedictorian Medal 1992 Mana-Mana 1993 GMA Telesine Specials Episode: Tatlong Anino Ng Kahapon Maalaala Mo Kaya Episode: Munting Bituin 1993–1995 Haybol Rambol 1994 Maalaala Mo Kaya Episode: Dancing Shoes 1994–1997 GMA True Stories 1996–2002 Anna Karenina 1997 Mula sa Puso Main cast with Special Participation Carmen Buencamino Maalaala Mo Kaya Episode: Pabango, lipstik at tsokolate 1998 Episode: Pipa Episode: Family Album 1999 Episode: Forcep 1999–2001 Pwedeng Pwede 2000 May Himala 2001 Daddy Di Do Du (Last TV appearance) Mammu Groovy

Accolades