Drop

Chapter 1. Drop

"DEFENSE, are you going to cross-examine?" the lawyer was asked by the judge.

The daughter of the Councillor, who's the accused, was hopeful when she looked at him—her lawyer—while he only gave her cold stares as they were at the defendant's table in the courtroom.

He's still mad about the whole situation. The defendant whom he was defending to was his schoolmate back in High School. He was in twelfth grade while she's in eleventh. And why wouldn't he still forgotten about her? It was because she's the first person who defended him in front of many mean kids back then. He was bullied and casted out because of the case his mom had lost. The prosecution found out that all the evidences that the defense team presented in the court were fabricated. Hence, his mom's reputation plummeted, and he was named as the son of an incompetent lawyer.

But when that girl stood up in front of those bullies as they're forcing him to eat the food that was already on the ground, it was then when he decided he'd follow his mom's footsteps regardless of how her reputation hit rock bottom at that time. He decided to be a lawyer so he could defend those who needed to be defended in the court—to seek justice.

Bahagyang lumapit sa kanya si Candace para ibulong ang mga katagang, "I'll just plea guilty to lessen my sentence."

Nagtagis ang bagang niya at hindi ito pinansin. Tumayo siya; pumunta sa tapat ng witness sa kasong hinahawakan niya. He then started questioning the person who's in the witness stand, and it was none other than the Governor's son, a thin middle-aged man and a high school teacher in Davao.

"You said that you saw the accused injecting the poison to the victim, am I right?" he asked.

"Yes."

"And you were supposed to film the whole situation?"

"Yes." Napakatapang nitong nilabanan ang mga tingin niya pero nahalata niyang pinipilit lang nito iyon.

It looked like the witness wouldn't say more. He clenched his jaw and took a glance inside the courtroom. The media was everywhere since the case was a high-profile one for it was the Governor who was murdered while having an intimate moment with the defendant.

Pumikit siya nang mariin at kinalma ang sarili. Sa tuwing maaalala niya kung sa paanong sitwasyon nakuhanan ng video si Candace ay gusto niyang maging kriminal.

"Why did you film the victim and the accused? Was it your own accord?"

"Objection, Your Honor! The defense is going in circles. We already know the answer to those questions." Tumayo ang prosecutor nang sabihin iyon.

"But, Your Honor, we didn't hear the answer directly from the person who filmed the video," katwiran niya nang humarap sa hukom. Sa kapulisan nanggaling ang statement na nakuha raw sa witness.

"Objection overruled," anang judge.

Tinitigan niya muna ang saksi; iyong titig na gusto niya itong sindakin na hindi mahahalata ng iba bago nagpatuloy at inulit ang kaparehong tanong. "Why did you film—"

"I-I... it was because I wanted to surprise dad." Hindi pa siya tapos sa pag-uulit ng tanong nang putulin nito iyon at sumagot. Bahagya siyang napangisi. Kanina pa niya napansing balisa ito, halatang may itinatago.

Nagbulungan naman ang mga taong nasa loob sa courtroom.

"Surprise?" he repeated. "It's not because of a prank just as you stated during the initial investigation?"

"Y-yes... It was a prank to surprise him."

"Why would you surprise him? Was it because somebody asked you to?"

"Yes! I m-mean, I wanted to prank dad," naguguluhang agap nito.

Ngumisi siya. "Were you asked to, and it's not just a prank?"

"I was, b-but—"

"Is it yes or no?"

"No, it's just a prank!"

"Were you not really asked to film? But you said yes awhile ago."

"I was, but I also said, it's just a prank!"

He coldly stared at him. "Again... Were you asked to film that day and it's not just simply a prank? Yes or no?"

"Putangina, oo nga sinabi!" The witness impulsively answered while glaring at him.

"Oo?"

"H-hindi..."

Mas lalong lumapad ang ngisi niya't nag-iba ang ekspresyon nito nang mapagtanto ang sinabi. Kahit ang normal na taong hindi maalam sa batas ay mahahalatang nagsisinungaling si Julio Devila. Now, he could cross out his credibility as a witness.

He pivoted to face the bench where the judge was seated for it was the right time to present their solid evidence that'd clear Candace Ferrer's name. Bahagya niya itong nilingon at nakita niyang tamad na itong nakaupo sa pwesto. She was even slouching and focusing on her long nails as if she's bored.

Damn, stubborn woman!

He cleared his throat when the judge called his attention.

"I'd like all of you to watch a footage. It's taken from a different angle, and it's a full length video of what really happened."

Kumontra ang prosecutor. "The defense didn't follow the procedure, Your Honor."

"Your Honor, I'd like to submit the new evidence now. I wasn't able to follow the procedure because we just obtained it this morning." At dahil umaga rin ang schedule ng third trial ay dumiretso na sila sa korte at naghanda.

Nang sabihin niyang i-disregard na lamang ang ebidensya kung mapatunayang walang relevance sa kaso ay tinanggap iyon ng judge. At matapos panoorin ay nalinis nga nang tuluyan ang pangalan ng akusado. He also charged Julio Devila perjury because he didn't give accurate information while he's in the witness stand despite of taking an oath that he'd speak nothing but the truth.

The charge to Candace Ferrer was immediately dropped and the Governor's murder case would only go on once the man, who wore a demon mask, in the footage was already found.  Sa ngayon ay ang lalaking iyon ang primary suspect sa kaso.

That is, if he's really a man, Aniya sa isip. He's only dressed up a man so they assumed that person's a man. But he's doubting it. Pero tapos na ang trabaho niya ngayon kaya hindi na niya pakikialaman iyon. Ang importante'y maialis niya si Candace doon nang makasuhan na rin niya ang mga nagpakalat sa video scandal ng babae.