A Case of Love (COMPLETED)

Chapter VII

He bursted out in tears, "pasensiya na Tina. Nakokonsensiya na ako....ilang a-araw na akong di m-makatulog. Inaamin ko attorney, a-ako po ... ako po ang .... ang p-pumatay sa biktima"

"Maari mo bang isalaysay ang mga nangyare ng gabing iyon?"

"N-narinig ko po ang s-sigawan nila. N-narinig k-ko pong sinasaktan na naman siya ng k-kapatid ko. P-pumasok po ako sa gate nila. N-na...naririnig ko po ang pagsigaw ni Tina. Pinapalabas n-niya po ako. Ayaw n-niya po akong madamay"

Aga found a way to counterattack Lea, he won't accept defeat that easily, "Objection your honor, the witness is blind. How is he supposed to do the crime?"

"Atty. Martinez, the witness is suffering from amblyopia. Only his one side of eye got blinded by this condition. His medical cert is also filed as an evidence along with the suspect's results"

"Objection overruled"

This is insane

"Please continue" she told the witness.

"Nakita ko pong .... may hawak na kutsilyo si Tina. M-medyo m-malabo po ang kaliwa kong mata pero ... pero sigurado po akong kutsilyo yung h-hawak niya. Inagaw po i-ito ni Alfredo at pinilipit po a-ang mga braso n-niya. N-naawa po a-ako sa kanya kaya...habang sinasaktan p-po siya ni Alfredo, dali-dali k-ko pong kinuha ang kutsilyo at ....at sinaksak ko po .... sinaksak ko ang sarili kong kapatid" he is crying hard. His pain is conspicuous. "P-pinatay ko po siya. Pinatakas p-po ako ni Tina, ayaw ko po sana kaso...kaso nagmakaawa siya na umalis na ako bago dumating ang mga pulis"

"Paano nangyareng nagmatch ang fingerprints ni Tina sa kutsilyong hawak niya?"

"H-hindi...po yun ang g-ginamit kong pangsaksak"

The people inside the jury are murmuring. They cannot believe of what they heard from the witness. This kind of scene is like a snippet of a movie.

"Pinapalitan n-niya po iyon s-sa akin. K-kumuha po ako ng .... isa pang k-kutsilyo, iyon po ang utos niya sa akin. Ako po ang pumatay. Ako po ang may k-kasalanan. H-hindi p-po si Tina"

"No more questions your honor"

She walked back to her sit with confidence. She knows that Aga will have a hard time to counterattack her. Aga started to cross-examine.

"Kung ikaw ang pumatay sa biktima at pinatakas ka ng suspect, bakit mo naisipang tumistigo ngayon?"

"Kase po.... nakokonsensiya na po ako. Ako po dapat ang makulong at...at hindi po si Tina. M-masyado na p-po siyang nasaktan simula pa noong n-nagsama sila ng kapatid ko"

"Mr.Santos, may relasyon ba kayo ng suspect?"

Lea stood up, "Objection! The question is irrelevant to the case"

"Objection sustained"

"No more questions your honor"

Lea rests her case.

"You may be dismissed. Next witness, please"

"I call Virgil Santos to the stand"

Aga started to ask the witness some series of questions. Lea is just eyeing him and his reaction didn't escape from her sight when their eyes meet.

He felt small butterflies all over his stomach from her gaze. Despite the cold air from the AC spreading around the courtroom, he could feel the warmth of his cheeks. He tried to focus on the questions he prepared through his mind.