There is something deeply unsettling about watching “Drug War: A Conspiracy of Silence.”

The six-part YouTube series does not offer easy answers or convenient endings.

We caught an advance screening of Episode 4 recently and, suffice it to say, we left feeling bothered.

“Mabigat talaga siya panoorin, I understand. Pero we cannot sugarcoat it. We need to make sure that the audience get the point,” Praico told us. 

Putting the series on YouTube was also intentional.

“We want to reach as many people as possible. We want them to realize that these kind of things do happen and that it could also happen to any of us.”

In the series, Romnick Sarmenta plays Ramon, a father who, together with his son Kiko (Harvey Bautista), gets caught in a fatal situation.

From the moment he read the script, Sarmenta already knew it would not be an easy watch.

“Walang fairytale ending ang mga ganitong istorya," he said.

For Sarmenta, being part of the project was more than another acting role.

“I feel blessed and fortunate that they asked me to do that role because I felt like siya yung pinakamagandang take-off point para mabuksan yung usapin, and it’s an honor to play that role.”

The story also hits differently for Sarmenta as a father.

“As a parent, that’s always my fear,” he said when asked about keeping his children safe.

He believes projects like this can help parents explain to their children not only what they should avoid, but also what they should stand up for.

“Hindi mo na lang siya titingnan sa aspetong, ‘Hindi ka puwedeng lumabas ng bahay kasi delikado.’ Titingnan mo rin siya doon sa aspetong, ‘Hindi puwedeng nagaganap ito nang wala akong nararamdaman at wala akong sinasabi.’”

Sarmenta also cautioned against quickly blaming drugs whenever violence occurs.

“Madaling manisi, e. Madaling makakita ng dahilan. Pero hangga’t hindi natin napapag-aralan kung saan siya nagmula, ano ang pinanggalingan — hindi natin puwedeng sabihin na nakahanda tayo, e.”

That is what makes “Drug War: A Conspiracy of Silence” difficult but necessary viewing.