Evicted (TLS #2 - COMPLETED)

Article 2 - Section 42

"A life was taken as well as two lives had been put danger. A family that would never be complete again." Umpisa ni Brent sa closing statement niya.

"The accused is a lonely wife and a vengeful stepmother. All the efforts she made to make her husband stay isn't working so she contacted a group of people to do the ambush for her. She specifically aimed for her stepdaughter thinking that Attorney Alarcon is the only reason why her husband stays with Ms. Natividad. But she also mentioned to the hired people that an incentive would be given for taking the latter's life, too." Inilibot ni Brent ang tingin sa buong court room na kasalukuyang tahimik habang nakikinig sa kanya.

"It was recorded in numerous books and studies how envy, jealousy and revenge can turn a person into a monster. The accused had planned to take the lives in exchange of her own satisfaction." Brent added as he stare at Tita Arlene who was seated on the defendant's table, confidently.

Hindi ko alam kung saan niya nakukuha ang lakas ng loob niyang harapin ang lahat ng ito habang nakataas ang noo na para bang wala siyang ginawang mali. Para bang wala siyang buhay na kinuha.

She keeps on claiming that she loves my father. Pero ni minsan ay hindi ko siya nakitang umiyak noong mamatay si Daddy. Habang halos mamatay na rin si Mommy sa pighati sa nangyari kay Daddy, Tita Arlene was more worried with how I meddle with Daddy's last will.

"It was very clear that she had the intention to kill Attorney Alarcon and Ms. Natividad, but she ended up killing her husband instead." Brent faced the judge this time after pausing a bit.

"Planning to take lives of someone and acting upon it would never justify any reasons." Brent turned around and he immediately found me.

"I rest my case." He concluded before he went back to his seat.

Huling pinatawag ang abogado nina Tita Arlene para sa closing statement nila. They were still claiming to be innocent after all the evidences that we had presented.

Sigurado naman akong amin ang laban na 'to. We had enough strong evidences that points out to Tita Arlene being the mastermind of the ambush. Halos wala rin namang laban kay Brent ang abogadong nakuha nila. The only question that remains now is how long would be their sentence in prison.

Ilang taong kalayaan ba ang katumbas ng buhay ni Daddy?

I know it would never bring back my father but I atleast can give justice to his untimely death. Hinding hindi ko siya mapapatawad dahil sa ginawa niya sa pamilya ko.

She killed my supposed to be sibling and my father. She ruined the what supposed to be a happy family that my parents could've started.

Lumipad ang tingin ko kay Fryje na tahimik lang na nakayuko sa tabi ng Mommy niya. Both of them were wearing yellow shirts na may malaking "DETAINEE" na tatak sa likuran at pareho ring nakaposas.

The mother duo used to look so powerful and elegant. Ngayon ay parehong walang bahid ng make-up ang mukha nila at halos padarag lang na itinali ang buhok. Malayong-malayo sa itsura nilang kinalakhan ko.

But that was their choice. People has the freedom to make their own choices, their own decisions. Nasa kanila na kung pipiliin nilang gawin ang tama o hahayaan nilang pangunahan sila ng mga emosyon nila at makagawa ng mga bagay na magpapahamak sa kanila.

There's always another choice in everything, kahit kailan ay hindi nangyayari ang "no choice", but people chooses to turn a blind eye to that other choice that seems to be inconvenient for them. They'll rather do something unconventional with the reason of being  just a human who acts on instincts.

But morality doesn't asked humans to be perfect and do all the right choices everytime. Life is always full of surprises. Yung tipong akala mo ay maling desisyong ginawa mo ay pupwede palang maging pinakatamang nagawa mo sa buong buhay mo. We don't always have to act based on instincts and conventional procedures.

There's always a way. Something that is not visible to the naked eye. And Tita Arlene failed to see those reasons. She rather kill me and my mother than to talk it out like how a normal person should do.

Kahit kailan ay hindi kami nagkaroon ng matiwasay na usapan kasama ang mag-inang iyon. It's not like we're not trying. Pero kung kada buka ng bibig nila ay puro pangmamaliit at pang-aalipusta ang sinasabi, sinong hindi matututong lumaban?

"As the accused, Alarcon, Arlene Co, was proven guilty with cases of double attempted murder, homicide and acting as accessory to crime before the fact without reasonable doubt, and is still refusing to show any remorse from her unlawful actions, she's being sentenced with reclusion perpetua." Mabilis kaming napatayo ni Mommy at nagyakap dahil sa naging desisyon ng korte.

"We did it, Mom. We did it!" Umiiyak kong bulong sakanya habang yakap yakap siya.

"Alarcon, Fryje Co, was proven guilty for being an accessory to the crime after the fact without reasonable doubt. She is now sentenced to fifteen years in prison to atone for the crimes she did." Lumipad ang tingin ko sa nakayuko paring Fryje habang yakap yakap ko parin si Mommy na umiiyak.

Fryje had been looking down since the start of the hearing hanggang ngayon. Habang si Tita Arlene ay pilit kumakawala sa mga police na humawak sa kanya para siguro dalhin na sa kulungan. Fryje was calmer, kusa siyang sumama sa mga pulis na umalalay sa kanya.

"Akala niyo magiging masaya kayo?!" Sigaw ni Tita Arlene na parang baliw habang pilit na kumakawala mula sa pagkakahawak ng mga pulis sa kanya.

"As long as I'm alive, you'll never be happy! Tandaan niyo yan!" Sigaw niya habang pilit siyang hinahatak palabas ng courtroom.

"Hey, are you alright?" Napalingon ako ng marinig ko ang boses ni Brent sa likuran ko.

"Y-yeah." Kinakabahan kong sagot.

The last time we received a threat from Fryje, we lost Daddy. Pero wala naman na silang magagawa ngayon... diba?

"Restroom muna ako, anak." Paalam ni Mommy samin habang papalabas kami ng court room na agad ko namang tinanguan.

"Attorney Hernandez!" Sabay kaming napalingon ni Brent ng marinig naming may tumatawag sakanya. Nang makitang ang judge iyon ay agad akong nagpaalam na mauuna na lang sa sasakyan para sa front nalang ng hall of justice sila sasakay.

"Alright. Ako na lang din mag-aantay kay Tita." Ngumiti at bumati ako sa judge na tuluyan ng nakalapit bago ako tumango kay Brent at nag-umpisa ng maglakad palayo.

Hindi parin mabura sa isip ko ang banta ni Tita Arlene, pero pilit ko ring sinisiksik sa utak ko na wala na silang kaya pang gawin samin.

I sighed deeply as I reached the parking lot. Pero hindi pa man ako tuluyang nakakalapit sa sasakyan ay tumilapon na ako kasabay ng pagalingawngaw ng malakas na pagsabog.