Justice..

That’s the thing that is so hard to get nowadays. It’s so hard to conquer justice mostly when you belong in the low profile individuals. That’s why some people ended up on taking vengeance.

They thought that vengeance can ease their thirst for justice. But they are wrong.

Because the moment you decided to take vengeance is also the moment you buried yourself in the grave of delinquency.

I lost my family in an inhumane way, but I never thought of taking vengeance. Instead I chose to conquer justice in my own justifiable way.

Now that I’m finally a President, I can now conquer the justice for my family that I have longed for. But now, it’s not just for my family. It is also for the death of Mr. Guanzon and to the other people out there. In my administration I will make sure that everyone will get the justice that they all deserve.

Hindi ko maalis sa sistema ko ang pagkamangha habang binabaybay ko ang pasilyo ng Malacañang. Ang palasyo na kay tagal kong pinangarap na pasukin. Ngunit ngayon ay heto na ako’t naglalakad nang malaya. Heto na ako’t naglalakad patungo sa posisyon na pinangarap ko.

“Good morning Ms. President,” bati sa ‘kin ng mga politikong nakakasalubong ko. Tipid lang akong tumango sa kanila at ngumiti bilang sagot.

“Eury sigurado ka ba talagang hindi ka uuwi ngayon sa Cebu?” Muling tanong sa ‘kin ni Mnemosyne. She keeps on asking that question over and over.

“M, you understand me right?” She nodded.

“Today is my first day and I just can’t skip it. And you know that I have to do something about Mr. Guanzon’s death right?” Muli s’yang tumango. Kung hindi lang sana nangyari ang hindi ko inaasahan malamang ay nakauwi pa ako ng Cebu kahapon.

“Of course I understand you, I’m sorry,” nakatungo n’yang sabi.

“That’s okay. Teka kailan ba ang exact date ng kasal n’yo ni Greg?” Pag-iiba ko sa usapan. Nagulat ako matapos bigla s’yang tumahimik at hindi man lang nag-abalang sagutin ang tanong ko.

“Hey, you okay? May nangyari bang hindi maganda sa inyo?” Nag-aalala kong wika. This is not M, she’s always excited when it comes to their wedding.

“Eury, I feel like I’m not yet ready to get marry.” Confusion and shock automatically got me when I heard her words.

“Why do you feel that?”

“I don’t know,” Nanlulumo n’yang sagot.

“M look, just hang on there okay? Kung hindi ka pa talaga ready why don’t you just change the date? M,don’t waste your 5 years relationship okay?” Tumango s’ya sa sinabi ko.

“Kahit pala NBSB ka marunong ka rin palang mag-advice tungkol sa relasyon,” natatawa n’yang sagot. Natawa na lang din ako.

“What do you expect? I’m Eurydice de Lara and I’m always ready for everything.” Biro ko.

“So you’re also ready to be in a relationship with that green-eyed General huh?” Nakangisi n’yang tanong habang itinataas baba ang kaliwang kilay n’ya. Teasing me again.

“Oh shut up, I don’t like that General, he’s annoying. And besides I’m a President now, I don’t have time for those. I better marry my country than any annoying man.”

“Huwag kang magsalita nang tapos Eury. At saka I only said in a relationship but you extended it into marriage, so you really have plans huh?” Muli n’ya pang wika. Napasentido na lang ako. Mnemosyne won’t be Mnemosyne without her shenanigans.

“Oh come on, I got some more interesting bussines to deal with, I don’t have time,” nakangiwi kong sagot sa kan’ya.

Emmanuel opened the oval office's door for me after we reached it. I heave a deep sigh before entering.

Nandito na ako sa posisyon na pinangarap ko. Pero si Mr. Guanzon ay ni hindi man lang s'ya binigyan ng pagkakataon na umupo.

Since Mr. Guanzon is the one who won in the election for Vice-presidency but he died; kaya iba na ngayon ang naka-upo sa pwesto ng bise-presidente.

Umalis na rin naman si Mnemosyne matapos n’ya akong maihatid sa opisina ko. That girl has always been sweet.

Napahilot ako sa sentido ko matapos makita ang tambak na papeles. Lahat ng ito ay kailangan kong basahin habang ang iba naman ay kailangan ko pang pirmahan.

“Ms. President kumain muna po kayo,” tawag sa ‘kin ni Zalysha sabay lapag ng pagkain sa table ko.

“Salamat,” tipid kong wika, saka kumain.

“Wait what’s the schedule again for now Zal?” Tanong ko sa kan’ya. Kinuha n’ya ang tablet n’ya at tiningnan ang schedule rito.

“Cabinet meeting in 10 a.m, and attending Mr. Guanzon’s wake at 7 p.m, and the rest is office hours,” tumango na lang ako bilang sagot.

Hanggang ngayon ay wala pa ring lead ang mga awtoridad kung sino ang pumatay kay Mr. Guanzon. It looks like the culprit is good at hiding. But I’m sure that he won’t be hiding for long.

After hours of reading and signing the papers. Finally! The cabinet meeting is about to begin.

I confidently stood in front of everyone. Chest out and stomach in.“Good morning Ms. President,” bati nila sa ‘kin. Some even congratulated me. Tipid lang akong tumango at ngumiti sa kanila.

“Good morning gentlemen!” masigla kong bati. Sinundan ito nang pagpapakilala ng lahat ng myembro sa kabinete, bago ako nagsimulang magsalita muli.

“It’s a pleasure to be here in front of you gentlemen. And since we don’t came from the same partylist I assume you don’t know my platforms either my propagandas yet,” pormal kong wika.

“Well I don’t really have a particular propaganda. ‘Cause there’s only one thing I want to give in this country. I want innovation and peace, will you join me with that gentlemen?” nakangiti kong tanong kahit pa alam kong sa sarili ko na peke ang ngiting iyon.

“It will be a pleasure ma’am.”

“For the sake of our country of course yes.” Tipid akong ngumiti sa mga sagot nila.

“Good, I want to implement my first project,” isa-isa ko silang tiningnan, at halata naman sa mga ‘itsura nilang interesado sila sa bawat salitang binibitawan ko.

“It will be a war on drugs,” sandali silang nagbulong-bulongan saka tumango.

“Before I could even run in this position, I already saw the main problem about this war on drugs,”

“Maraming mga adik o mga taong lulong sa droga ang nakulong na, pero pilit pa rin bumabalik sa bisyo. So I assume that they should be rehabilitated first before we jail them,” everyone looked at me with amusement, interest and some are with confusion.

“Honestly I don’t see them as criminals but as addicts. Tho, they have done a lot of criminalities and some were inhumane, but I assume that it was just because of the drug manipulating their brain,” walang pag-aalinlangan kong wika.

Matagal ko nang gustong imulat ang mga tao sa mga bulok nilang paniniwala. At marahil ay ito na ang pagkakataong iyon.

“If we’ll going to look at it in a psychological way, they are not such that criminals but they are sicked individuals,” alam kong mayroong tutol sa paniniwala ko. Or some will probably think that I’m taking the side of the criminals, but of course I don’t think in that way.

“Before we make them pay for their penalties, we should treat their minds first.” I was surprised when they stayed quiet. No one even dared to counterpart my words.

“Dahil kahit paulit-ulit pa natin silang ikulong ay babalik at babalik pa rin sila sa pagdo-droga. And with that ay patuloy pa rin silang makakagawa nang karahasan.” I savoured again the silence and freed my words.

“So in this kind of war on drugs they should be rehabilitated first before being jailed, and with that, I hope that we can at least alleviate the outgrowing criminality,” Lahat sila ay tumango at wala man lang ni isang tumutol sa plano ko. Well that’s good. But not until someone took the guts and state his opinion.

“But Ms. President. We’ll lack of rehabilitation centers, we can’t afford the numbers of the drug addicts,” wika ni Mr. Leoncio Perez, the vice-president.

“Then we should build.” Tipid kong sagot. Iyon naman talaga ang dapat gawin hindi ba? If we lack resources then we should build and create.

“Pero siguradong kailangan natin nang malaking pondo para d’yan Ms. President,” muli na namang giit ni Mr. Perez.

“I already calculated the money that we need. At hindi iyon ganoon kalaki para hindi matugunan ,” nakataas ang isang kilay kong sagot. Ilan nga ba ang kakailanganin naming rehabilitation centers?

“But ma’am that money where can we get that?” Muli na namang tanong ni Mr. Perez.

“Maybe from the taxes, I’ll look for that tomorrow.”

“Pero sigurado po ba kayong hindi masasayang ang perang ilalaan natin para d’yan? I mean I’m only concern about the money, because what if this project won’t work? The money will be wasted when the fact is,  we can give it to those needy citizens?” My left brow arched.

“And what? Let those drug addicts commit another crime? Mr. Perez they are also our people and they are also our responsibility. Besides, nasubukan na ba natin? Para makapagsalita tayo ng tapos na hindi ito matutupad?” giit ko.

“The President is right Mr. Perez,” sang-ayon sa ‘kin ng isang senador.

“Mr. Perez, those drug addicts needs help too. They are needy too, needy of mental attention,” dagdag ko pa. I don’t get it why this vice-president here keeps on opposing me. When the fact is, I’m only thinking for the goodness of this country.

Nakita ko kung paano biglang nagbago ang ekspresyon n’ya. Napangisi na lang ako saka umiling.

He look pissed. Okay I get it now, he don’t like my idea.

————

Light from the twinkling stars was drawn in the midnight sky along with the glistening light of the moon.

Tahimik lang ako habang binabaybay namin ang daan papuntang St. Peter’s memorial service.

Na sa unahan ng sinasakyan namin ang isang sasakyan na purong taga-PSG ang laman, ganoon din sa likod. Habang and dalawang head ng PSG naman ang kasama namin ni Zalysha at ang isa ang s’yang nagmamaneho.

I again lend my eyes in the surrounding bathed with the moonlight. Flickering lights from different kinds of cars added the bright ambience.

Pagkarating sa memorial service ay hindi ko inaasahan ang bilang ng tao. Mas marami ito kaysa sa inaasahan ko.

Walang sariling pamilya si Mr. Guanzon, tanging mga kapatid lang ang meron s’ya. Kaya’t heto ngayon ang mga kapatid n’ya at nag-iiyakan.

Gaya nang inaasahan ko ay nandito rin ang mga taga-media. Pagkapasok ko pa man lang ay agad nang gumuhit ang lungkot sa puso ko. I saw mang Erwin and Mnemosyne together with his fiancé Greg, near the coffin. I guess they arrived earlier than me.

May mga politiko ring narito at kumpleto lahat ang mga kasama namin sa partido. Una kong nilapitan ang mga kapatid ni Mr. Guanzon. Umiiyak ngayon ang dalawang ginang. Marahil ay nahihirapan pa rin silang tanggapin ang pagkawala ng kapatid nila.

“Good evening, my condolences ma’am,” magalang kong wika rito. I guess they’re on the same line of Mr. Guanzon, I think they’re politicians too.

“Ms. President good evening,” tatayo pa sana sila pero pinigilan ko na sila.

“Just think that I’m not a President right now ma’am, instead, I’m a daughter who lost her father,” nakangiti kong wika. Ngunit kahit ganoon ay alam kong nababakas pa rin sa mga mata ko ang lungkot. At hindi ko inaasahan ang pangta-traydor na ginawa ng mga luha ko. Kusa na lang itong tumulo nang walang pasubali.

“Si Neo, he’s that close to you,” tipid akong tumango sa sinabi nung isang ginang na may itim na buhok.

“I apologize for being rude.  Ms. President I’m Nea the eldest and this is Nei,” pakilala pa sa ‘kin nung ginang.

“No it’s okay po, pleased to meet you ma’am,” nakangiti kong saad.

Habang pinagmamasdan ko ang payapang mukha ni Mr. Guanzon na nahaharangan ng salamin ng kabaong, ay hindi ko mapigilang makaramdam ng sakit.

“Hey, grumpy man. Thank you for guiding me and for opening my eyes in the political world. Kung ano ako ngayon iyon ay dahil sa ‘yo. I hate to say this but yeah you’re like a father to me, and even tho you’re the famous grumpy man, I want you to know that I admire you so much...”

————

Nanatiling maliwanag ang daan habang papauwi na kami. I decided not to stay long at Mr. Guanzon’s wake even tho I still want to stay there. But I just can’t, I need to search some data now about my project.

Nauna nang umuwi sa ‘kin sina mang Erwin at Mnemosyne. Kagaya kanina ay nakatuon lang ang paningin ko sa labas ng bintana. Panay ang pagsasalita ni Zalysha pero hindi ko s’ya maintindihan dahil lunod ako sa sarili kong isipin.

I need to find the culprit behind Mr. Guanzon’s death. Atat na atat na ang kamao kong pagsusuntukin sa mukha ang kung sino mang hayop ang pumatay kay Mr. Guanzon. For Pete’s sake! He’s a good man and there is no exact reason for him to suffer that kind of death.

“Fvck!” Agad akong napamura matapos marinig ang malakas na pagsabog. Shit!

My eyes widened the moment I saw the burning car upfront us even the car behind us. Kasunod nito ay ang matinis na tunog ng putok ng baril.

Shit! This will be a war again.
Eksakto pang na sa isang hindi mataong lugar kami. Mukhang planado ang lahat ng mga gago.

“Protect the President,” sigawan pa nina Erick at Emmanuel, ang dalawang head ng PSG.

Kapwa sila may hawak na na baril ngunit panay lamang ang pagyuko nila dahil sa pagpapaulan ng bala sa sasakyan namin. Our car is an armored car, so why the heck they’re keeping their heads down instead of firing bullets to those shitty whoever? Kaya’t kinuha ko ang twin gun ko at ikinasa ito.

“No Ms. President, iyuko n’yo lang po ang ulo n’yo,” angal pa ni Erick. I just shook my head and held Zalysha’s hand for a while when I noticed her shivering and crying in fear.

“Just drive gentlemen,” matigas kong wika.

I’m not that President who needs either who likes to be protected. Because I will always be the one who’ll protect my people.

“We are ambushed. Do you copy? Over. ” rinig kong saad ni Emmanuel sa kabilang linya ng radyo.

“I repeat we are ambushed, we need backups,” pag-uulit n’ya pa.

“I repeat we are ambushed we need backups do you copy that?”

“Location?” Rinig kong sagot sa kabilang linya ng radyo.

Sinimulan kong iputok ang baril ko nang mamataan ko ang isang pigura ng tao isangdaang metro ang layo sa ‘min.

Kaka-upo ko pa lang sa pwesto ngunit heto’t binigyan na naman ako ng warm up. Kay gandang bati.

I’m sure that these are terrorists. Sila lang naman ang alam kong patuloy na pumepeste sa buhay ko. But like the old times, there’s no fvckin’ way that I’ll let them win this ambush. Not a single chance.

I’m Hezekeiah Eurydice de Lara and no one beats me, not a fvcking ambush...

|End of chapter 14|
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