Giyera na Bulag

Chapter 1: The righteous police officer

            I could not help but contemplate the things I have seen throughout the year; things have changed so far. As a police officer, there are certain ghosts that haunt me—the ghosts of unsolved victims, countless deaths due to the war on drugs, and the lingering data of the deceased victims. There is something that still haunts me and remains a mystery that cannot be solved. This led me to come up with the idea of exploring the murder events within the issue of extrajudicial killings. I live in Caloocan and I am assigned to District 3. For 12 years, I have worked as a police officer, and there have been different cases that piqued my personal interest. I enjoy the thrill of catching suspects who have committed various crimes. The more serious the offense, the more excited I become. 

          Sometimes I view these criminals as rats who do not deserve second chances or minimal punishments like imprisonment. They deserve more severe consequences, like being poisoned or even burnt alive. I personally want to sand their skin and pour saltwater in the surface of their flesh or mutilate their genitals, these tortures are for sexual offenders and murderers but also these thoughts are personal and imaginary, as I cannot commit a crime while enforcing the law—I took an oath in this field. However, I am still unsure whether to follow the path of being an authority with an "Iron hand" ideology or to be someone who upholds human rights and respects the lives of people. After all, I have no control over life and death. As I sit at my desk and pour the brewed coffee into my cup, I receive a call from an old acquaintance regarding an unusual scoop from a photoshoot in Antipolo. His name is Jake Luis Jenares, my friend since high school, works as a photographer for events such as weddings, baptisms, birthdays, and more.

          I accept his request and ask if he can deliver the files to me. I decline his suggestion to send them via email, as I am not tech-savvy and do not trust the internet, especially when the files might be confidential. He agrees to come to the station at 3 PM for us to talk. Amidst everything, I can't help but think about the orders we are assigned to follow from above—the operation known as "Oplan Tokhang." As a righteous officer, I ensure that the safety of my firearms is intact unless the person of interest possesses a weapon or threatens my life. In those cases, I will defend myself. I want to be a great example of a trusted police officer, someone who is seen as a protector. However, given the recent events and the state of our country, where the number of deceased bodies is increasing, I find it difficult to believe that people can trust us. I cannot deny that there are some who abuse their authority to end the lives of drug addicts. 

          Luis arrived precisely at 3:06, six minutes late, which somehow upset me. Little things like this tend to make me mad. I value being punctual and sticking to plans. That's why I really dislike people who are late; to me, it's a sign of disrespect. As we entered the room, I stood up from my chair and shook his hand as a sign of respect and greeting. It felt like a reunion after a decade. The last time I saw him, he was slim with prominent veins on his skin. He had a barber's cut, wore a tucked-in polo shirt, and appeared quite different. I was surprised to see his change in style and aura. He was now wearing a blue shirt, trousers, and brown suede shoes. His haircut had also changed from the yearly trim to a fade mullet. He seemed to be quite the womanizer today. I greeted him with a smile and said, "Luis, you've changed. I sense this is a serious matter. Shall we start our business?" I was no longer upset or mad. He briefly opened his DSLR camera and then took out a sealed folder containing what appeared to be photos. He explained that he opened the camera to demonstrate that the raw photos matched the printed ones. My nerves tingled, and adrenaline rushed through me. 

                   This was a clear sign that I was genuinely excited about what Luis was about to show me. As I opened the documents, I examined the three photos from the wedding photoshoot. The first picture revealed nothing significant. It portrayed a location in Antipolo surrounded by trees, with a pond in the background. The second picture was somewhat similar, taken on a bridge. However, something felt off about it. When I looked at the last photo, Luis had zoomed in on it. I saw an amputated hand hanging from a tree. The subject had tattoo markings with an alphabet "L", and the cut was clean, indicating that a sharp implement was used. On the left side of the severed body part was a signboard with the words "Adik ako, huwag tularan" — the English translation being "I am a drug addict, do not emulate me." It utterly creeped me, out but I tend to not show any reaction. This is due to the fact that this may be a serious matter that I, as an authority, must report and investigate. We operated in different locations and encountered similar cases, but this particular one was different. Who would cut off a person's hand and label them a drug addict? It created confusion, as identifying the victim would be challenging. I suspected that the case might be related to the war on drugs. I gently sighed in front of Luis and told him that I would get a copy of the file. I assured him that there was nothing to worry about and advised him not to drink too much coffee, as everything was normal and his concerns were merely illusions. 

                 I changed my mind and I asked if I could have the original copy of the file he was working on instead. I knew that Luis was skeptical about my response and a little bit nervous. He might have also known that I didn't want to involve him in this case. However, I expressed my gratitude for his cooperation and proposed setting another schedule. I offered to treat him to dinner to discuss a similar case we had worked on. I emphasized that he should not disclose our conversation as it was confidential. I went to Senior Inspector Felipe Manuel Garciano to make a report. This case could potentially affect my credentials for a promotion to Senior Police Officer III. Senior Inspector Garciano is a strict senior officer, known for his tough demeanor.

               He has a fierce aura, and no criminals have ever escaped his grasp. He's like a lion with sharp claws and shows little regard for higher-ups. He makes impulsive decisions, and it's a mystery how he has managed to survive without making enemies. I consider him somewhat of a lunatic, and what's even more intimidating is the sight of his healed, peeled-off ears. It's as if he went through World War II and shot at everyone he could. Despite his age, he's not someone to be underestimated and takes great pride in his title as a righteous police officer. I saluted as I entered his office and provided him with the details of the case. He asked about the source of my information, and I assured him that I had protected the informant's identity. We followed the correct protocol and reported the matter to the higher-ups.

Senior Inspector Garciano suggested that we should avoid making impulsive moves, considering the sensitivity of the "EJK" (extrajudicial killings) issue. We ended the conversation with a question: "Sir Felipe, do you think a press conference would be necessary to inform the public about this case, or should we take it directly to the higher-ups for further discussion?".

After the discussion, I went to my favorite pub, which serves my favorite drink, because today is also my day off. I had just visited Senior Garciano to file a report. I bought two beers, and as soon as I received my order, I noticed a group of adult teens drinking towers of alcoholic beverages. Since I wasn't wearing my uniform, I simply observed. I kindly informed the pub owner to check their identification cards, and they agreed to show their IDs. They didn't know it was me who had informed the owner. However, hours passed by and the alcohol remained the same, not causing me to get tipsy. However, the show started as someone danced on a pole and continued with adult entertainment. After her performance, I asked for her name, and we went to her place at 10:00 pm and I gently remover her bra and kissed her on her neck, I asked her if it is okay and she agreed. We had sex since we are both consenting adults that are single. She offered me a glass of whiskey, and after drinking three glasses of alcohol, I woke up to find that the woman I slept with was already gone. But something seems to be wrong. I think the alcohol was spiked, and there is something that really bothers me. Someone out a temporary tattoo that is similar to what Luis has sent me, the amputated body part with the capital "L" , Tattoo.