Finding Mabuhay

**"Finding Mabuhay"** is the first episode of the first season of *Almost Paradise*, serving as the series premiere. The episode first aired on March 30, 2020, on WGN America (now NewsNation).

## Synopsis

After being betrayed by his partner during an operation in Spain, DEA agent Alex Walker quits the agency due to a stress-induced heart condition and dissatisfaction with the effectiveness of the DEA on the drug trade. Towards the beginning of his career, fifteen years prior to the events of this episode, Alex had traveled to a beach in Cebu and found it to be one of the most beautiful places on Earth. He decides to sell what little he has and buy a gift shop on that beach.

Alex Walker arrives on Cebu and goes to the local military base to see Dr. Sara Patel. As a condition of Alex's disability payments, Alex must visit a doctor regularly to address and keep tabs on his condition. Dr. Patel gives Alex a wearable heart monitor, similar to a smart watch, and tells him that it will beep when his heart rate is getting too high, indicating a potential heart attack. Dr. Patel also gives Alex a notebook and tells him to keep track of what causes the stress so he can avoid them in the future.

Alex then heads to the beach, however, he quickly finds out that the beach is no longer secluded and is instead on a large hotel and resort. He meets the hotel manager, Cory Santos, and learns that while he owns the gift shop, the hotel owns the land it sits on and provides utilities making Santos essentially his landlord. The gift shop is also in need of several repairs before it can be opened.

Alex heads into the city and while at a restaurant he witnesses a drug deal about to go south. While he tries to stay out of it, he ultimately decides to intervene and beats up the two drug dealers. The drug buyers reveal themselves to be Detectives Kai Mendoza and Ernesto Alamares and point their weapons at Alex, along with four other undercover officers. Alex is taken to the police station where they accuse him of ruining their operation.

Alex agrees to assist with the investigation, but is displeased when he learns that the DEA, led by Special Agent Walton Zivic, wants to get involved and extradite the primary dealer to the United States. Alex believes that the United States will let the dealer off with a much lighter sentence in hopes of capturing other suppliers. This was part of the reason Alex left the DEA in the first place as the lack of action frustrated him.

In order to investigate, Alex goes undercover as a fictionalized version of himself, pretending to be a disgruntled former DEA agent that will pay for drugs to move along his network. The supplier agrees and arranges a meeting at his warehouse in order to show Alex where the drugs are made. The police set up a sting with the DEA using Alex as bait. However, unbeknownst to the DEA, Alex and Detectives Mendoza and Alamares have alternate plans. Prior to going inside, Alex removes his wire and places it next to a recording of himself talking. He then goes inside and tells the supplier that the DEA forced him to turn on the supplier, but says he can stop it from happening. He helps the supplier destroy all evidence of drugs and they flee the warehouse and go to the supplier's yacht. On the yacht, Alex gets the supplier to admit to killing a local dealer, prompting Alamares and Mendoza to arrest the supplier on murder charges. This allows the supplier to be charged locally and prevents the DEA from extraditing him.

## Cast

### Main

* Christian Kane as Alex Walker
* Samantha Richelle as Detective Kai Mendoza
* Arthur Acuña as Detective Ernesto Alamares
* Nonie Buencamino as Chief Ike Ocampo
* Ces Quesada as Cory Santos

### Guest

* Simon London as Agent Walton Zivic
* Alex Medina as Tear Drop
* Joe Vargas as Kobe Rodriquez
* Benj Manalo as Local Gang Member #1
* Philip Carlo Ty as Local Gang Member #2
* Clanch Belleza as Hardware Clerk
* Marlo Maghanoy as Cab Driver
* Kevin Reams as DEA Agent #3
* Dominic Smith as DEA Agent #5
* Raymond Humphries as Interpol Agent #1
* Eumier Ian Dean as PNP #1