You are viewing for "one of the best thrillers produced in the last 100 years"  (so the blurb of the German translation of the novel) which has reference  to the Philippines? Then perhaps you should consider reading  the novel by Marshall.

Our thriller is full of actions. In its centre, we see Police Lieutenant Elizalde   searching with a strong sense of justice and fighting strength for the final solution that explains a chain of assaults and executions  starting from a murder case in a cockfight arena. We know it from many crime thrillers: If a situation becomes  a bit obvious, the next black curtain appears with new question marks and also corpses. "Battling Mendez", a one-legged fighting cock,  delivers the central thread of the crazy story.

Roxas Boulevard, Luneta and Forbes Park as well as the slum area of Tondo deliver the local colours for the capsizing actions. We find also sketched typical  patterns of attitudes and behaviors in the Philippines:  Filipinos - so our author - have both an inclination for romanticism and for arson. In a world determined by posters, religion and hope they live in a system of polished up  courtesy, fear and power. Their  favorite occupation is the cockfight, basketball and chess. The constraint for " Utang Na Loob" turns further the spiral of corruption.

At the end we see that  the Vietnam War and the Boatpeople are historical background settings for the thriller.

The novel is asking for a concentrated reader who has also sense for humbug.