Following the withdrawal of JM de Guzman from the MMFF movie "Pedro Calungsod" over the weekend, the film producers announced today that the kapamilya actor will be replaced by kapuso heartthrob Rocco Nacino.

“San Pedro Calungsod: Batang Martir” is an entry by Hubo Productions to this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival.

JM de Guzman was originally chosen to play the lead role but recently declined citing “health problems.”

The film’s writer and director Francis Villacorta told PEP.ph that actor Rocco Nacino agreed to replace de Guzman.

The reason why they chose the Kapuso actor:

“Aside from JM, si Rocco kasi, based on the physical traits, hindi nalalayo kay San Pedro among our actors sa generation nila. Pinoy looks, tama lang ang height, can act, and nakatulong din sa weight ng decision ‘yung pag-portray niya ng Pedro Calungsod in television last year,” he said.