Defiant Youth Series # 12: Unwanted Justice (COMPLETED)

Chapter 27: First Hearing/Trial

"Have you find any interaction with him?" muli niyang tanong na parang masusuka na ako sa tanong na iyon. I don't need to interact with a man full of evil doings.

"No. I don't." maikling sagot ko. "But I can see the burning desire in his eyes when I first met him that night." I added.

"Objection Your Honor, the statement is irrelevant. The witness can't prove that the accused did it or not." sigaw ng abogado ni Versoza.

"Sustained," sambit lang ng Judge.

Nagpatuloy lamang ito hanggang sa dumako na sa pinaka-masakit na tanong. Mahirap ipaliwanag kung paano at kung gaano iyon kasakit para sa akin na isipin muli ang bagay na iyon.

"What happened on the night of August 1, 2021?" the Prosecutor asked me.

Ang sakit isipin ang bawat pangyayari nang gabing iyon. Mabigat sa dibdib, mahirap ipaliwanag at hindi kayang sikmurain.

"I... I was raped, sir." mahina kong sagot.

"When did the accused raped you?"

I sighed. "Around 10pm, sir." I answered, honestly.

He sighed. Ramdam rin siguro nito ang pamimigat ng aking dibdib ngunit ipinagpatuloy pa rin niya ang pagtatanong sa akin. "Where did this happen?"

"In the Club where I'm working, sir."

"Why are you in the Club?" He asked. Pero nakakabobo ang tanong niyang iyon dahil ano ang gagawin ko sa Club kung hindi ang magtrabaho. I calmed myself.

"Actually it was my day-off but my Manager called me to be there because one of the waiter is sick so I was his replacement that time," pahayag ko.

My palm was wet underneath of the witness table.

"How do you know it was the accused who approached you?"

"Because the Manager calls him boss. I also witness that he is using drugs that night. He is under of Drugs when he did that to me," nahihirapan kong sagot ngunit mabuti na lang at hindi ako nautal.

"Objection Your Honor! The statement is not related to my client's case!" sigaw muli ng abogado ng kabilang panig.

"Overruled!" sambit ng Judge.

The prosecutor proceeds to its question. Naaasar na ako sa abogado nitong Zach Versoza. Kanina pa niya binibitin ang mga sinasabi ko sa Prosecutor. Halatang guilty ang walang hiya.

"It was the accused... it's probably him." I said. "There's a CCTV in that room but when we tried to hacked it out, there's no videos in there probably, they hid it or deleted it." muli kong sambit sa Prosecutor.

Muli na namang sumabat ang abogado ni Versoza. "Objection Your Honor but the statement of the victim is irrelevant to the issue." halata ang pagiging hesterikal nito habang nakatingin sa Judge.

"Stop objecting, Attorney Madrid!" inis na sambit ng Judge.

Napayuko ito at humingi ng paumanhin dahil sa kawalan niya nang respeto. Serves him right!

"Proceed with the questions, Prosecutor." utos muli nito.

The Prosecutor sighed deeply. "Yes, Your Honor." sagot niya. Tumingin itong muli sa akin. Bumalik ang composure nito sa kaniyang sarili. "What then happened, next if any?"

Napalunok ako bago tumingin kay Attorney Mishel. She motioned me to answer the question. It makes me calm. Alam ko sa sarili ko na para sa akin ang gagawin ko. Hustisya ang kailangan ko.

"He started to drink the liquor in his glass and puffed his cigarette, before he said something unusual to me," pag-kuwento ko.

"What is that unusual that he had said to you?"

I explained myself, on what he had said to me that night. The Judge seems understand what I am saying as I looked at him with pure intention. "He asked me if I'm willing to have... sex with him but I declined," I answered.

"Why didn't you run?"

Kumuyom ang aking kamao sa ilalim ng witness stand. Hindi ko alam, pero nakaramdam ako ng galit at pandidiri sa aking sarili.

"How would I run, if he blocked my way when I wanted to get out of that room? He even blackmailed me! He has a knife. He put that in my neck..." nanghihinang sagot ko.

Muli na namang nagsalita ang abogado ni Versoza. This is the third time. I know, nawawalan na ako ng pag-asa dahil sa ganitong giinagawa niya na tila pinipigilan akong sabihin ang totoo.

"Your Honor, I move to strike the answer of the witness. It is a mere opinion only of the witness." He said.

"Granted,"

"What did the accused do to you? Can you explain?" muli na namang tanong sa akin.

Sasagot na sana ako nang sumingit si Attorney Mishel na siyang sumalo sa mabigat kong nararamdaman.

"Your Honor, my client became depressed that time. I think he can't ans－" I cut her off.

"I can answer it, Attorney." I said, looking at her intently. Hindi na ito muling nagsalita at naupo na lamang.

Bumalik ang kalmado kong sarili. Sinagot ko ang katanungan ng Prosecutor. Diretso sa mata ko siyang tinignan. "The accused punch my stomach, that caused me to lie on the floor. He... he pushed a knife in my neck again. I tried to seek help but no one can hear my screams until he touch my sensitive part. He's like a crazy animal, sir." nangingilid ang luha kong sambit.

"What else? What happened next?"

My tears fall down, I brushed it with my thumb. "Unti-unti niyang tinanggal ang pang-ibabang saplot ko. Nakangiti pa ito na parang demonyo. He started to insert his manhood inside my butt hole. I began to scream when I feel the pain but he initiated. He thrusted again and again..." my voice broke.

"Your Honor, I think the witness is telling the truth but we want to examine the new findings that the victim passed to us earlier." sambit ng Prosecutor.

"Granted," sagot muli ng Judge.

Nakita ko ang pagkunot-noo ni Versoza.

"What?! Another hearing again?! Oh come on! Don't fucking waste my time, Judge Enrile!" sigaw nito.

Nagkagulo sa loob ng korte nang magsimulang magwala ito at ipinagbabato ang inuupan niya. Seems that he wanted to manipulate the law again.

"Order in the court! Order in the court! Have peace or I will put you all in jail!" galit na sigaw ni Judge Enrile.

Natahimik ang lahat. Muli itong nagsalita. "We will examine the new findings that the victim's Lawyer passed to us. The next hearing would be one week from now." imporma ng Judge at pinukpok na ang gavel.

I sighed when Attorney Mishel walked towards me and hugged me. I hugged her too. I cried on her shoulders. She patted my back telling me that it is alright, that I was brave enough on that witness stand.

To be continued...