The Way I Loved You

61.

INT. REGIONAL TRIAL COURT OF MANILA, BRANCH 26 – MORNING

It's a busy Friday morning for Simone and Ethan as the court have requested for their presence. It's the arraignment and pre-trial stage for the case of qualified theft where Simone is the counsel for the accused and Ethan is the public prosecutor for the State.

Halos magkasunod lang silang pumasok sa courtroom. Ang dalawang lamesa sa harap ng bench ng judge na assigned para prosecution at defense ay agad nilang inokupa, kung saan nasa kanan si Ethan at sa kaliwa naman si Simone. Sa likod nila ay may harang na mababang wooden fence o 'bar'—which separates them as lawyers and the judge, to the spectators.

Habang naghihintay, tahimik na ibinaling ni Ethan ang tingin sa kabilang table kung saan nakaupo si Simone. Nakakunot ang noo nito habang binabasa ang mga papel na hawak pero maganda pa rin ito sa pormal na black blazer at slacks na suot nito. Nakataas ang buhok nito at ngayon ay itinaas na rin nito ang kilay nang bumaling sa direksyon niya.

Ngumiti lang si Ethan pero simple siyang inirapan ni Simone bago ito bumalik sa binabasa. Gusto niya pa sanang asarin ang dalaga pero sumeryoso ang ekspresyon sa mukha nila nang pumasok ang presiding judge.

BRANCH CLERK OF COURT
All rise. The Honorable Ellionete Laurenz R. Chua, presiding. Silence is hereby enjoined.

Dalawang bees ipinukpok ng presiding judge ang gavel na hawak niya at sinabing pwede nang maupo bago ito bumaling sa branch clerk of court.

PRESIDING JUDGE
Call the case scheduled for arraignment and pre-trial.

BRANCH CLERK OF COURT
Criminal case number 06-2643, People of the Philippines versus Juana Cruz for violation of Article 310 under the Revised Penal Code or Qualified Theft.

PRESIDING JUDGE
Appearances.

Seryosong tumayo si Ethan habang kaharap ang judge. Idiniretso niya ang nalukot niyang puting barong bago ipinresenta ang sarili.

ETHAN
Prosecutor Ethan Jeramiah Paras, appearing for the government, Your Honor.

PRIVATE PROSECUTOR
Attorney John dela Cruz, appearing as private prosecutor under the direct control and supervision of the prosecutor.

Sunod na tumayo si Simone, na mag-isang nakaupo sa pwesto nito habang nasa likod niya ang akusado.

SIMONE
I am Attorney Simone Audrey Co, Your Honor, appearing as the counsel for the accused.

PRESIDING JUDGE
Is the accused present today, counsel?

SIMONE
Yes, Your Honor.

Itinuro ni Simone ang akusado na tahimik na nakaupo sa likod niya bago bumaling ang presiding judge kina Ethan at sa katabi nitong private prosecutor.

PRESIDING JUDGE
How about the private complainant?

PRIVATE PROSECUTOR
Yes, Your Honor.

PRESIDING JUDGE
Alright. Have the accused come before this court for the reading of the information.

Tumayo ang akusado at binuksan ang nakaharang na wooden fence para pumasok sa harap ng bench ng presiding judge. Tumabi ang akusado kay Simone at lumapit ang branch clerk of court para basahin ang nilalaman ng information kung saan nakasaad ang offense nito.

PRESIDING JUDGE
Mrs. Cruz, do you understand the nature of the accusation made against you?

ACCUSED
Yes, Your Honor.

PRESIDING JUDGE
Okay, so how do you plead?

ACCUSED
Not guilty, Your Honor.

PRESIDING JUDGE
Alright, accused has pleaded to this charge. Attorney Co, is your client interested in plea bargaining?

SIMONE
No, Your Honor. She is innocent of the crime charged.

PRESIDING JUDGE
Attorney Co, is it not possible for you to enter a plea of guilt to a lesser offense? The crime simple theft is two degrees lower than the penalty provided for qualified theft. What do you say to this?

SIMONE
Okay, Your Honor. May I please ask for a few minutes to confer with my client?

PRESIDING JUDGE
Alright, I'll give you a few minutes to confer with your client, Attorney Co.

Kinausap ni Simone ang akusado at ipinaliwanag dito kung ano ang sinasabi ng presiding judge. Ipinaliwanag niya na maaari pa rin itong makulong pero sa mas ikli na lang na panahon dahil magiging mas mababa na ang offense nito kumpara sa nakalagay sa naunang information.

Nakatitig lang si Ethan sa dalaga habang nagpapaliwanag ito. Ngayon lang niya nakita kung paano ito sa korte kaya hindi niya inalis ang tingin dito. Alam niyang proud siya dahil nakita niya ang mga iniyak at sakripisyo nito noon. Gusto niya rin sanang maging parte pa rin ng buhay nito hanggang ngayon pero malayo na ang narating ni Simone, at hindi niya alam kung papayagan pa ba siya nitong humabol.

SIMONE
Yes, Your Honor. After conferring with the accused, she is willing to plea guilty to a lesser offense of simple theft as defined and penalized in Article 308 of the Revised Penal Code.

PRESIDING JUDGE
What do you say to this proposal, Prosecutor Paras?

Muling tumayo si Ethan para sumagot sa presiding judge na kaharap. Gusto niya sanang pagbigyan si Simone dahil handa pa rin siyang ibigay rito ang lahat pero sigurado siyang hindi naman nito hihingin 'yon sa kanya.

At ngayong tinanggap niya ang kaso, hindi rin naman niya pwedeng talikuran ang tungkulin niya sa batas, sa bayan. Maaaring palabiro siya kung minsan pero seryoso siya pagdating sa trabaho dahil kalayaan at buhay ng tao ang kapalit ng magiging pagkakamali niya.

ETHAN
I'm sorry, Your Honor, but the private complainant is of the position that the crime of qualified theft has been consummated by the accused considering that the taking of personal property belonging to the complainant was done with grave abuse of confidence and trust.

PRESIDING JUDGE
So... does that mean we are not going to arrive at a plea bargaining at this point?

ETHAN
Yes, Your Honor.

PRESIDING JUDGE
Well, in that case, may I suggest to the parties that we explore the possibility of settling the civil aspect of this case. The possibility that will come out from this is that it will eventually lead to a plea of guilt to a lesser offense or the actual dismissal of the case. If the parties are willing, may I invite the parties and their respective counsel to the chambers so that we can discuss this in an informal conference.

Pinukpok ng presiding judge ang gavel ng dalawang beses bago ito muling nagsalita.

PRESIDING JUDGE
Session suspended.