Sabel is a Philippine romance primetime drama on ABS-CBN. The series based on the 1981 film Bata Pa si Sabel by Joey Gosiengfiao. It premiered on ABS-CBN's Primetime Bida evening block and worldwide on The Filipino Channel from December 6, 2010 to March 11, 2011, replacing Kokey at Ako. Starring Jessy Mendiola, AJ Perez, and Joseph Marco.
Plot
When Choleng falls in love with the town priest Julio, the townspeople turn on her when they find out the pair will elope, fearing Julio will abandon his priestly duties to pray for and heal the people. Little did a heavily pregnant Choleng know on the night of their escape that a storm will thwart their plan: Julio gets into an accident and dies as Sabel is born. With Julio's death, the townsfolk think Choleng's daughter is a curse as more bad things occur. She decides not to argue, and ignores the problems around her. To give Sabel a better future, she flees the village with her mother Amparo to start anew. When the three find help from dearest friends, they begin a new life in a kinder community. The sickly baby Sabel grows up, determined to fight for her family. Fearing she will know her true parentage and look for her father, Choleng does everything in her power to prevent Sabel from doing so. Choleng falls for Jimmy, who is also loved by Margaret. Choleng refuses Jimmy's sincere love and even offers marriage, accepting her past. But, Choleng and Sabel's love for Jimmy and accepting him as a father will only mean to Choleng that she does not want to lose him as for Sabel as she grows up. And even for love, there is a solace she finds this into Dido and Raymond. But time comes again when she will face the same situation as her mother and this. Is love a sin when one's feelings are true as she shows the townspeople and people around her that she is not cursed with this life and that life has no meaning without love?
Cast and characters
Main cast
Supporting cast
Recurring cast
Extended cast
Spanky Manikan† as Tino
Bryan Homecillo as Jefferson
Shey Bustamante as Kimberly
Natasha Cabrera as Twinkle
Eagle Riggs as Donna
Aldred Gatchalian as Alvin
DJ Durano as Father Manny
Chinggoy Alonzo† as Father John
Special participation
Tonton Gutierrez as Julio de Dios
Precious Lara Quigaman as Cassandra Zaragosa
Mutya Orquia as Young Sabel Asuncion 4 years old
Abby Bautista as Young Sabel Asuncion 8 years old
Diamond Delani as Young Candido "Dido" De Dios
Rusianne Jandrisa Ilao as Young Raymond Sandoval
Kimberly Fulgar as Young Twinkle
Development
After five years in showbiz, Jessy Mendiola is now in the line of one Kapamilya Drama Princesses who are now all full-fledged drama heroines. After Mendiola's participation in the hit teleserye Kung Tayo'y Magkakalayo, she was given the primetime soap Sabel, based on the 1981 classic movie Bata Pa Si Sabel—which starred award-winning film and television icons Snooky Serna and Albert Martinez, under Regal Films—and like many classic films under Regal Entertainment that were classics such as Underage, which was used as a Your Song Sunday presentation. Sabel was the last teleserye of AJ Perez before his death on April 17, 2011 from a Dagupan show and was riding a van on his way home with his family.