"YOUR honor, I would like to present a piece of substantial evidence that was not included in the prior reports. This sensitive information directly acquits my client from this case and at the same time reveals the real murderer." I heard the crowd reacted as soon as these words left my lips.
Tumaas ang kilay ng judge kasabay ng kuryuso niyang pagsandal sa lamesa while looking down to us.
"Objection your honor—"
"The defense counsel may proceed," the judge said, cutting off any objections from the other side. Sandaling nagtagpo ang tingin namin ni Senator Russianna na bahagya pang tumango sa akin. Isang malalim na hininga at binalingan ko ng tingin si Lauren sa tabi ko.
I already warned her about this.
The map that Tasha Ortiz drew led us to Raymond's secret unit where we found Russel's notepad. At tama ngang nakasulat roon ang passcode sa CCTV video. We concluded na iyon ang rason kung bakit nila sinuyod ang unit ni Lauren. Roselle Lim was aware of the CCTV, and knowing how her head works, mabilis niyang inaksyunan iyon at agad na ipinatago kay Raymond Quinto ang notepad in case na mauna naming mahawakan ang footage.
That was a nice and smooth move but Tasha Ortiz came and ruin her plans as she gave us the location of Raymond's safe. Bukod pa sa evidences na nakuha namin tungkol sa kaso ni Lauren ay marami rin kaming nakuhang ibang ebidensya sa mga pangungurakot at iba pang krimeng ginawa niya.
His daughter promised me that she would take care of it from there, gustuhin ko mang pagdudahan ang mga instensyon ni Russianna ay hindi ko maitatangging she already gained more than enough credits for me to give her the benefit of the doubt.
Hindi ko alam kung anong nagtutulak sa kanya na gawin ito sa sariling ama niya but one thing I'm sure of is that, she no longer views that man as her father but as the monster who killed her brother.
Inabot ko ang flashdrive na nakapatong sa table sa harapan ko bago binalingan ng nag-aalalang tingin si Lauren. She had her head down na para bang takot na takot siya sa sasabihin ng mga tao rito.
And I know she is.
No one believed her when she said that she was raped.
People pointed their fingers at her and called her a murderer without their eyes blinking.
They quickly judged her with a few vague pieces of evidence.
"Are you okay?" nag-aalala kong tanong sa kanya kasabay ng pagpatong ko ng braso ko sa may balikat niya. I saw her flinched a bit pero agad ring nag-relax nang marealized na ako ang kasama niya.
Sobrang putla niya at ramdam ko rin ang bahagyang panginginig ng katawan niya.
"Jasper . . . can we . . . can we not just—"
"We must do this, Lauren," agad kong putol sa nanginginig niyang boses.
"We must," ulit ko bago inabot ang nanginginig at nanlalamig niyang kamay at bahagyang pinisil-pisil.
I told her this is going to be tough.
I told her to ready herself pero nang makita ko ang pagpatak ng luha niya, I realized something.
Ako ang hindi handa.
Ako ang hindi handang makita siyang ganito.
My Lauren was not the type to be easily scared.
She was not the type to easily tremble and cry.
But this is different.
The video I was about to present before everyone inside this room was her nightmare I knew she'll never want to go through ever again.
"Attorney Lopez?" tawag pansin ng judge pero nanatili ang mga mata ko sa mga nagmamakaawang mata ni Lauren.
Humigpit ang hawak ko sa flashdrive bago umikot paharap sa judge.
"I would be presenting a sensitive video that may cause a huge impact against my client's psychological state, Your Honor," umpisa ko.
"And so I would like to request for my client to be excused from the trial while this evidence . . ." ani ko kasabay nang pag-angat ng itim na flashdrive na hawak. "Is being presented."
Sandaling tumitig ang judge sa akin bago binalingan si Lauren sa tabi ko.
"Ms. Ignacio?" Nag-angat ng tingin sa akin si Lauren at sumagot sa judge matapos makita ang pagtango ko.
"Do you really think you can't stay and watch the presentation?" Tahimik ang buong courtroom habang hinihintay namin ang sagot ni Lauren sa tanong ng judge.
I was silently asking her to leave the room.
I know what's about to come.
Halos hindi rin namin kayaning tapusin ni Senator Russianna ang footage. My mother insisted on watching it pero mariin ko itong tinutulan.
My mother loves Lauren like her own child.
It would break her seeing how she suffered under the hands of the same monster who also ruined their lives years ago.
The monster who almost killed them.
The monster who killed my twin.
The monster who took Lauren's family away from her.
At ngayon, she was suffering in all ways possible because of the same person.
"Lau—"
"No." Lahat ng mata ay nakatutok sa kanya.
"I can stay, Your Honor," sagot niya bago bumalik sa upuan at nanginginig ang mga kamay na inabot ang bote ng mineral water.
Nang balingan ko ang judge ay tahimik niyang pinanood si Lauren na pilit na kinakalma ang sarili bago ako binalingan at sinenyasang mag-umpisa na.
A heavy sigh escaped my lips before I walk through the tech man para iabot sa kanya ang flashdrive. We all waited until the thumbnail of the footage appeared on the projected screen. Isang malalim na buntonghininga muli ang aking pinakawalan bago ibinuka ang bibig para sa mga paalala.
"Before everything else, this is a room of justice. This video footage would be presented as evidence to give justice to my client. Any form of distribution of the contents of the evidence would be used as grounds for legal pursuits."
The whole courtroom remained still as I watched them patiently but anxiously waiting for me to start. Mariin kong ipinikit ang mga mata bago tumango at binalingan ang tech man.
The moment Russel Quintos' face appeared on the footage, I heard the most painful cry of agony I could ever hear.
BINABASA MO ANG
Afflicted (TLS #3 - COMPLETED)
Художественная проза3rd Installation of The Lawyer Series Once a national treasure in the film industry, Lauren Ignacio lost everything when she was framed for a crime she didn't commit. Abandoned, hated, and left with no one to defend her-except Attorney JD Lopez. Bu...
