Heart Rallies

Trois: Chromosome

“I-PAG-LA-BAN ANG KARAPATAN!”

“I-PAG-LA-BAN ANG KARAPATAN NG MGA KABABAIHAN!”

“IPAGLABAN!”

Thousands of people attended the rally. It was a Monday morning and Sucat road was barely passable. There were placards, signs, posters everywhere expressing the public’s disgust on the dismissed case about a teenager who was raped by a gang and suffered trauma. However, the court dismissed the case, saying that there’s no sufficient evidence to prove that the suspects being tried are the ones who raped her. It caused the public to go furious and caused an uproar to reopen the case, all people demanding justice. Another one was also being held in front of the Supreme Court, the people demanding for them to get involved and get their asses to work on it.

Beatrice Sanchez Sy stood on the front line, holding her own banner expressing her disgust on the blind justice going on. She was too livid with the way the trial went after all the efforts that their camp did, all the evidences that they presented were deemed not sufficient. She handled the case, talked to her client and the witnesses personally, and she knew that they weren’t lying.

She knew that.

What their opponent did the whole time was present bullshit lies and weaved stories.

“Attorney Sy, can you give us your opinion about the result of the case?” one of the reporters covering it asked her.

“It is very evident that the law does not know what it is doing! We have a thirteen year old female, resident of THIS country, who was raped by those three men and our justice system denied the case! C’mon, why is the law existing if we COULD NOT protect our people? Evidences were presented during the trial. I believe that as a concerned citizen of this country, there’s a foul play here,” she voiced her anger. “In Egypt, actors are not allowed to testify in court because they are considered professional liars! Why is it that we allow those low-profiled criminals get away with a case as serious as rape?!”

Ramon Valdez Sy was raging in anger while watching the TV inside his office. He immediately called his wife who was replacing the flowers on the vase.

“Katherine! Tignan mo yang anak mo! Nasa TV na naman! Wala na bang gagawin yan kundi magdala ng kahihiyan sa atin?!” he shouted and pointed out what was being shown on the screen. “Ngayon lang sya bumalik sa Pilipinas at nagkamali sya sa unang kaso na hinawakan nya! Ngayon kasama sya sa mga nagra-rally dyan sa daan! Wala ba syang pinag-aralan?!”

Bea’s mother remained speechless.

“Tawagan mo yang anak mo at pauwiin mo dito ngayon din! Mas mabuti pa na bumalik na lang yan sa kung saan man yan nagpunta kung ganito lang ang gagawin nya sa pangalan nya!” Ramon complained and turned off the television. He immediately went out of his office and slammed the door on her.

--

It was already ten in the evening when Bea came in on their family’s house. She was so tired after all that she did that day. She went from one place to another where rallies were held to show her support and to make her client feel that she’s always on top of it. She does not need any discussion so she quietly climbed the stairs tiptoed while holding her shoes. She was just in the middle of the stairs when the voice she does not want to hear spoke. It was authoritative.

“In my office. Now.”

“Dad, can we - ” Bea paused and realized what came out of her mouth. “I’m sorry. Attorney Sy, if I may ask for your permission to have this discussed tomorrow? It’s been a long day.”

“If a law needs to be imposed, do you wait until tomorrow Attorney? Is that the value you have learned with your schooling?”

“No, Attorney,” she answered, head lowered.