Chapter 3: Depths beyond their Lies

“Unlike other countries, our country’s judicial system doesn’t have any jury system. All of the trials were ruled by the judge system, in accordance with the 1973 constitution. In which you all knew that the Supreme Court of the Philippines is the highest judicial body of the state, consisting of the Chief Justice and other 14 Assistant Judiciaries.”

I was dazed and preoccupied when Van suddenly raised his hand and stood, “Then… cases like self-defense are on the verge of downslide? The judge in session is not trained to bawl along with defendants nor the victims, what they need to do is find the defendant if he is guilty or not.”

“Enlighten us more, Mr. Santiago.”

“Imagine a woman defended herself from an assault by a man which she accidentally killed … So, who the judge will think is the perpetrator for the case?” Looking at him makes me compare him from the way he’s acting from yesterday, he seems like a different person. He’s not goofy, instead, he seems cool right now, “I see it as unfair. Especially, in the eyes of the law of the state, you killed a person.”

Tumango-tango si Atty. Sison habang nakangisi itong sumandal sa whiteboard, “I can understand your words, Mr. Santiago. But the Philippines is not a rich country to invest billions of peso for us to establish the Jury System… the higher-ups tend to think that it is more practical like using the money to improve the working condition of the judges to attract the young graduates…”

“Improve the working condition of the judges?” Nagtatakhang bulong ni Tori.

“Sahod,” sagot ko.

“Oh.” Nang maintindihan niya ang ibig kong sabihin ay muli siyang bumaling kay Atty. Sison.

“And if we will consider Mr. Santiago’s words… we can say that their idea is a collision of stupidity and practicality. Stupid in a sense that, instead of improving the judicial system for a fair trial for self-defenses cases they pour down the money by improving the judges working conditions. And practical by boosting the judges moral and condition, instead of reconfiguring each courtroom in the Philippines.”

Bahagyang lumapit muli sa akin Tori dahilan upang lingunin ko siya, “Hindi ba’t mayroong mga courtroom dito na may space para sa jury?” tanong niya.

“We do have, but not enough for a 12-man jury.”

“Edi ba—”

“Manahimik ka muna, Victoria. Nakikinig ako,” singhal ko sa kanya. Bigla na lamang siyang sumimangot dahil sa tinawag ko sa kanya’t inirapan ako.

Saglit kaming pinagmasdan ni Atty. Sison lalo na ang grupo naming bago tuluyan na binagsak sa lamesa ang kanyang libro’t ngumiti sa amin, “Class dismissed.”

At dahil matulin pa sa kabayo ang leader naming ay kinailangan namin na mabilisan na ayusin ang mga gamit namin, kahit na sobrang organized kong tao ay basta ko na lamang sinuksok ang libro at mga notebook ko sa bag dahil kay Asher.

Para rin siyang hinahabol ni Atty. Salvatore, dahil sa kanya ay wala pang sampung minute namin na narating ang study room namin. And because today is Friday, the rest of our day is free, especially that we only have one subject during this day of the week.

Agad namin na binuklat ang mga papeles patungkol sa Enrile Case at kinalat iyon sa lamesa upang usisain, “Senator Dela Vega and Police Lieutenant General Fuentes are much closer than the others. By any chance na ma-interrogate natin sila—”

“No.” I interrupted Tori, “We are not going to interrogate them yet.”

“Why? Hindi ba’t mas maagang makuha natin ang statement nila ay mas mapapadali ang trabaho natin?”

Buntong-hininga akong tumingin sa kanya’t tinuro si Van, “Remember what he said yesterday? Aren’t you curious why are they turning their back against Mr. Enrile? I’m anxious dahil sa tingin ko’y mas lalong lalala ang kasong ito oras na malaman natin ang kanilang dahilan. Ayokong masayang ang mga evidence na p’wede nating makuha oras na maging cautious sila dahil nakatuon tayo sa grupo nila.”

Narinig ko na lamang ang pagsipol ni Van kaya’t sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. Nang bumaling naman ako sa seryosong si Asher ay nakatitig lamang ito sa akin bago ito lumipat ng tuon kay Ethan.

“Bring Herrera with you—”

“No.” I cut off Asher’s sentence, “I want you.”

“Are you hearing yourself, Dela Vega?”

“It was you who first faced my father… but this time, I want you to face him again,” I said. With our eyes intently locked to each other, I took a deep breath, “But this time… you will face him with me.”

“Wow. That was bold,” Tori commented.

“Hindi naman porn ah.” Nakita ko ang panlilisik ng mga mata ni Ethan kay Van na nagbibiro kaya’t napatikhim ako.

“Can you not say inappropriate sexual words or slang? It’s horrendous for my ears,” Ethan irritably said.

“Parang bading naman amputa—”

“Sullivan, your words.” I glared, making him shut his mouth.

At dahil pare-parehas namin alam na tapos na ang aming usapan ay tinuon na naming ang aming atensyon sa mga kalat sa harapan. Mabubusisi naming siniyasat ang bawat pahina ng mga pinasang ebidensya ni Mrs. Enrile sa amin—bank records, daily schedule maging ang work schedule niya, ngunit dahil hindi pa namin nakokompronta si Mrs. Enrile tungkol sa pagtapak niya sa building na pagmamay-ari ng asawa niya, ang oras na sakop na ay nakahayag sa work schedule niya.

Engineer din si Mrs. Enrile kaya’t base sa kanyang mga katrabaho ay palaging wala ito sa opisina niya sa dami ng kanyang mga projects lalo na tuwing hapon. Hindi rin siya mukhang kaduda-duda sa mata ng mga kasamahan niya dahil bukod sa halos lahat ng ginagawa nito ay perpekto, isa siyang respetadong tao sa kanyang industriya.

“Base from her working schedule… 10:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. ay nakikipagmeeting siya kay Engr. Ortega tapos from 1:00 P.M. to 3:00 P.M. naman ay kay Senator Dela Vega… isn’t it suspicious?” Tori asked.

Saglit akong tumahik at inalala ang kung anong alibi ang maaaring sabihin ng tatay ko oras na tanungin siya ukol sa meeting nila ni Mrs. Enrile, “Angat Hydro Electric Power Plant…” mabilis kong kinuha ang cellphone ko’t tiningnan ang mga impormasyon tungkol sa kasalukuyan na proyektong ‘yon.

At katulad nang iniisip ko’y konektado nga ito sa kanila, hinarap ko sa kanila ang cellphone ko’t pinakita sa kanila kung sino ang Head Engineer sa proyektong ‘yon.

“That’s a perfect alibi,” Asher commented.

Mrs. Enrile was the Head Engineer for the Angat Hydro Electric Power Plant Project that was announced months ago. At dahil do’n hindi namin maaaring sabihin na lamang na nakapagtataka ang kinikilos nila, unless…

“Ethan…” tawag ko ngunit imbes na siya lamang ang lumingon, lahat sila ay tumingin sa akin. Ethan ba ang pangalan nilang lahat? “‘Yong mga footage… sabi mo ‘di ba ay pinanood mo lahat ‘yon? Last year, two years ago, paulit-ulit ba ang routine ni Mrs. Enrile?”

“Yes.” He nodded, “But from three years ago… hindi naman siya pumupunta ro’n.”

I heaved a sigh and looked at them, “What is the secret that lies in that building which is connected to all of them from two years ago?”

At dahil sa panibagong palaisipan ay inis na napasubunot si Tori sa kanyang buhok, “Damn, Thea! Ang sakit na ng ulo ko ha!”

Wala sa sarili akong natawa dahil sa reaksyon niya. Mukha talaga siyang inis na inis sa akin dahil sa frustration na nararamdaman niya at habang tumatawa ay tumayo ako ngunit napatigil din agad ako nang makitang sabay kami na tumayo ni Asher.

“Witwiw!” Dinig kong pang-aasar ni Van, “Don’t mind me, nambubugaw lang ako.”

“Sullivan.” Ethan warned.

“Uso ba talaga ang tawagan ng full name pag galit kayo?”

“Just shut up and read the files, moron,” Asher languidly mumbled. He suddenly drifted his attention to me with a befuddled look, “Where are you going?”

“Canteen. I’m starving…” I answered.

“Hala! Me rin, me rin!” Tori jumped in.

Asher sighed and eyed Tori, “Sit and we will get your meals. Just chat what you wanted in our group chat.” After that, he glanced at me, “Let’s go.”

I was dazed at first, but I immediately followed him before he could rampage the hell out of me. I silently watched his back, and I can’t help, but noticed how arrogant he walks. Hindi ko alam kung anong mayroon siya na halos lahat ng galaw niya ay mayabang ang dating sa ‘kin.

Bigla na lamang siyang tumigil kaya’t napatigil din ako sa paglalakad at nagulat na lamang ako nang tumabi siya sa akin upang sabay kaming maglakad patungo sa canteen.

Nang sumulyap ako sa kanya ay napansin ko ang mapupungay niyang mga mata maging ang halos sunod-sunod na paghikad, “Hindi ka ba nakatulog nang maayos?”

“I didn’t sleep. I was up all night studying…”

“Right… you aspire to be prosecutor, right?”

“Yeah.”

Napako ang mga mata ko sa aming nilalakaran, sa totoo lamang ay hindi ko alam kung anong landas ang aking pipiliin, “Just a what-if… what if we face each other in the court?”

He suddenly let out a soft laugh, “I will pulverize you, Dela Vega.”

“Talk about being arrogant, Perez.”

He cleared his throat and before we could actually enter the canteen he halted, making me do the same thing, “But seriously… why did my prey say such blunt words earlier?”

“Because I have a plan…”

“Plan?”

“And your prey wants a date.”

#