"Inhale ... Exhale... Inhale... Exhale. You can do it, Roanne," I said to myself.
"Nervous?" I looked at the Director when he spoke, and nodded. He handed me some papers, and I read them. "The relatives of those who died in the massacre petitioned to reopen the case, because they are looking for justice for their loved ones. I will give you two months to do this case, Roanne." I nodded. "I know the soldiers will also have a hard time solving the case, so I want good news." I nodded again. "It's still a long time before the case can be opened, two months from now, but you should have interviewed people about that, here's the other details about who you can interview." The Director gave me a folder. "Mahihirapan ka, Roanne at please i-expect mo na walang gustong maglabas ng statement about Rmall."
"Thank you," I said in sincerity.
"You may go, your work starts now." I was about to leave, but what the Director said stopped me. My whole being was shocked. "But if you fail in this case, I am sorry to say, but I will fire you." I slowly looked at the Director. "And I am dead serious, Roanne." I swallowed my own saliva, because of that. "Ayan ang magiging kabayaran mo kapag pumalpak ang case na'to, dahil alam mo naman siguro na hindi ko naman talaga sa'yo 'to ibibigay."
"HEYYYY!!!!" I was deafened by Jevi's loud screams. I didn't realize we were already in the van. "Anong nangyayari sa'yo?"
I shook my head, and looked at him. "H-ha? What is that? Are you talking to me?"
He looked at me in disbelief. "Hindi, kaya nga kita sinigawan kasi hindi kita kinakausap." I went silent. "What are you thinking?"
"Nothing. What are you talking about?" Maybe it's better to hide it than to tell others. I have to finish this report, and I need to solve what is behind it.
"That's right, the first thing we're going to do is interview the CEO of Rmall. We know they are hiding a statement to protect Rmall," he said while driving.
"We will have a hard time there. Wait, who was the CEO then?" I asked.
"I'm driving right?" He said, sarcastically. "You should probably read it in the folder, you want me to read it while driving? So we can both go straight to heaven?"
I ignored him and opened the folder. "Sharine Umali, the acting CEO of Ramos Corporation. She is the niece of the owner of Ramos Corporation; Mrs. Fidela Umali Ramos. She leads her auntie's business, because of the owner's son; Rico Ramos is a captain of the Philippine Military, and he has no time to handle their business. And Mrs. Fidela Ramos, is too old to handle the company. While her husband is the General of the Philippines Army."
"Wow, big time," Jevi said. "Maganda ba yung Sharine? Ilang taon?"
I look at him for a second, before continuing to read. "That's why Ms. Sharine Umali acted as a CEO until now, and she managed the business very well."
"Wow, I wish I had an aunt like that. Aantayin ko lang tumanda tapos sa'kin na yung kumpanya," said Jevi. "Fidela cutie——"
"Gago!" Then we both laughed. "Pero mukang mahirap kumuha ng interview sa kanila. Bigating tao eh."
"We'll probably need to get an appointment," said Jevi.
I sighed. "It must be too busy right now, especially after two months. The Rmall's Massacre case will be reopened."
"Probably, but we have to work harder for this work."
Probably, because I'll get fired.
An hour passed, and we were able to reach the Ramos Corporation, but there were already a lot of reporters outside.
"Mukang halos lahat ng kalaban nating station ay nanduon na. We should have the best scoop first," Jevi said, I just shook my head.
When I got out of the van, Jevi first looked for a place to park the van, so I went first.
I have never seen so many reporters in one place in my life. Nakaka-amaze at the same time nakakatakot, dahil para akong nilalamon ng mga sikat na reporter na nakikita ng mata ko ngayon.
This is how it is, when you have big news. You compete for the scoop.
"I'm sure it won't be solved."
"I'm sure we'll just talk about it, and then there's nothing more."
"Tapos isasara na lang ulit."
"Last time na binuksan 'to, ako din yung reporter pero wala naman akong nakuha."
I heard a lot of comments from reporters about Rmall. There are some who say that it will be difficult for them to solve the case, while there are some who believe that the case can be solved.
After a while, Jevi came with his camera.
"Lumabas na ba?" he asked. I shook my head. "Narinig ko sa parking kanina na magandang babae daw yung CEO tapos ka-edad natin." He looked at me. "Sana ol 'no?"
I was about to answer, but when all the cameras started flashing, we immediately looked at the entrance of the Rmall corporation. And a beautiful woman with long brown hair, and slim figure stood there. I can say she is beautiful. Very beautiful.
"Ms. Umali, now that the case will be reopened, can you provide a concrete statement to facilitate the case?"
"Ms. Umali, if you continue to remain silent, do you think the victims will be able to get justice?"
"Ma'am, do you know the person behind this?"
"Ma'am, what do you think is the reason why Rmall was being massacred four years ago?"
I could barely fit in their series of questions, pero wala kang makikitang pagbabago sa muka niya.
She remained standing with confidence, and didn't seem to be overcome by what the reporter was saying. She didn't even have shades or a face mask to cover her face. She is just simple, and there's no emotion on her face.
She looks at everyone with full confidence. "I am so sorry, but I am too busy to answer all your questions. If you want to talk to me or hear my statement. Maybe one of these days we will call a press conference to give a statement, but as of now I can't give anything." And with that, an expensive car parked in front of the Rmall corporation, and she quickly got into it, and left us hanging.
"We were so starstruck by her beauty that we couldn't even speak," Jevi said, and I nodded slowly. "Mamamatay na yata ako, ang ganda niya."
"Sana nga," I said, and laughed a little.
He looked at me, while holding his camera. "Ang ganda niya na parang kasalanang tingnan siya ng mga dukhang katulad natin."
I shook my head. "You are crazy." He just laughed. "So where are we going next?" I added. "wala naman tayong napala?"
I just went straight to the van, and took the folder.
"It's Aiken Isabelle. She is one of the survivors at Rmall's massacre case, but she can't be seen now, she last lived in Pampanga," I said, starting to be problematic. "She's hiding herself."
"Let's go to Pampanga then, and start looking for her."
A few hours later I chose to take a nap, because it was a long ride to Pampanga, but Jevi woke me up soon after.
"Parang nakita ko yung Aiken."
I stared at him. "Are we in Pampanga now?" I asked.
He shook his head. "Pero parang nakita ko nga si Aiken." Then kinuha niya yung folder sa bag. "I knew it, siya nga!" Then binigay niya sa'kin yung folder. "This is a copy of her bio data." And I looked at Aiken's picture. "Look at the cashier at 711."
I looked around, and saw that we were in front of 711. A very beautiful cashier faced me, while working inside. Why are there a lot of beautiful women right now?
"She's very beautiful," I commented.
He glared at me. "Look at Aiken's picture here at her bio data, and look at the cashier."
I stilled when I realized what he was saying. "Oh my God is that Aiken?" I was shocked.
Jevi nodded. "I guess we don't need to go to Pampanga anymore."
I nodded, and stared at him. "How did you know that it's Aiken, if you don't know her face?"
He scratched his head. "Auto-ganda kasi yung mata ko. Basta maganda mabilis na natatandaan ko. Hindi mo ba napapansin hirap akong tandaan ka——"
"Let's go."
"Good afternoon, Ma'am," said the Cashier, when we entered the 711.
She is smiling, and very beautiful. Why is everyone beautiful?
"Miss, may I know your name?" I asked immediately.
The woman lost her smile, and looked seriously at me. Seems to know what's the reason why I'm talking to her. "Bakit?"
"About Rmall-—"
"Ganuon ba?" She immediately cut me off, so I nodded. "Okay."
I breathed a sigh of relief when she agreed. She first talked to her co-worker to watch over her station, so that we could talk properly. We sat down on one of the chairs inside, while Jevi kept on roaming around inside.
I looked at her and smiled. "Is it okay for us to take footage of you?" When I saw how her face instantly changed, I immediately panicked. "But if you don't want to, it's fine," I immediately said. Maybe she's still traumatized by what happened four years ago.
She smiled at me. A very beautiful smile. "Salamat"
"So I'm gonna start asking questions." She nodded. And I ready my pen and paper to take down notes of what she said. "May napansin ka bang kakaiba bago yung pagsabog nung araw na yun?" I immediately asked.
She looked at me intently. "Tatlong taon na pero tandang-tanda ko pa rin" She sighed, and stared at the road. "May ina-assist akong babae nun, isa akong sales lady sa Rmall. Walang size yung babae, kaya tumingin ako sa stockroom saktong may biglang sobrang lakas na pagsabog... Sa sobrang lakas ng impact nawalan ako ng malay, nagising na lang ako na ... Nasa ospital ako." she said, sadly.
I sighed. "So in short you didn't see anything, because you were in the stock room?"
She nodded at me and stared. "Kung ako lang, sana hindi na lang binuksan yung kaso." And I looked at her with that. "Kasi ayokong madamay... Kung ang gobyerno nga hindi ito masulusyunan, paano ako makakaasang may kaligtasan ang bawat witness?" She stood up at the same time, and smile again. "Ito na sana yung una't at huli." And she left.
I don't know what she meant by what she said, but I only felt one thing. I seemed frozen in place and scared.
"Shit! Bakit ang gaganda nila?"
I returned to the trance of what Jevi said. "Wala naman tayong makukuha sa kaniya," I said. "Who else are we going to interview?" I asked.
He looked at the folder he's holding and look at me. "The soldiers who will handle the case."
I nodded, and looked for a moment at Aiken na ngayo'y bumalik na sa trabaho. "Let's go,"
A few hours later, we contacted the soldiers involved in the case. They are a group of five members called Alpha Team.
"I've heard about the Alpha Team before in the news," Jevi said, while driving. "Magaling daw sila."
I looked at him. "Really? Bat hindi ko sila kilala?"
"Baka wala kayong TV?" I glared at him, and he just laughed. "We will go to the Recruitment Office-Luzon, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City," he said.
I nodded. "Alright, I'll just sleep."
If I don't finish this, I will lose my job. I put my job at risk just to prove that I deserve better, when the fact that I don't.
I looked at the road, because I couldn't sleep. It was late at night when we got there, and we saw everyone, almost all the soldiers were busy. But gladly, there's no reporters here aside from me.
Because the soldiers were so busy, almost no one noticed us, so I had to talk to a soldier. "Ahm, goodevening? Sino pong pwede namin makausap about sa Rmall?" I asked one of them.
The soldier look at me, and said. "Ah, si Sergeant Macapagal. Isa siya sa myembro ng Alpha Team, kaso nga lang siya lang yung nandito wala yung ibang myembro."
I smiled. "Thank you, sir. Where is he?" I asked.
"Deretsuhin mo lang yung hallway na'to, tapos makikita mo ang opisina ni major Bulacena. Nasabihan naman na kami kapag may reporter kaya diretsuhin mo na lang." I nodded, and say thank you.
When I found the office, I knocked three times. And waited for someone to answer. When I heard the word 'come-in', I opened the door, and entered. I closed the door again, and stared to the old man infront of us, that if I'm not mistaken. It was Major Bulacena.
"Um good evening," I said politely.
Jevi grabbed my arm, when Major Bulacena stared at us and I gulped in nervousness.
"Who are you?" he asked, seriously.
I was about to answer when someone shouted outside the door.
"Major Bulacena, this is Sergeant Major Dred Macapagal, asking permission to enter your room, sir!"
I stopped thinking when I heard that shout. I knew that one of the members of the Alpha Team was already outside, because the soldier I was talking to mentioned that earlier. I was a little nervous, because I didn't know if he would accept my interview offer or not.
"Come in," Major Bulacena said.
Jevi and I retreated from where we were standing, so that the soldier who was the reason why I was here could enter. The door seemed to slowly open, as the same time as my heart beat faster.
"By the way, who are you?"
I returned to the trance of what the Major said. He's talking to me. I composed myself before I speak.
"Sir, a reporter from CST station." I saw kung paano kumunot ang noo ni Major Bulacena. "I am here because I want to hear the statement of at least one of the members of Alpha Team, who's holding the case of Rmall's Massacre." And there the old man leaned on his swivel chair.
"General Ramos told that we're not allowed to say any statements about that case," he said, with finality.
I shook my head. "But please have mercy, how about the people who want justice for their loved ones? What about the people who were killed? To those people who want the answer about this endless case? A lot of people are waiting for this, they want justice! Don't deprive them to the justice that they deserve!"
Major Bulacena shook his head. "I am so sorry, but that was the order. And we can't do anything about it."
I turned my back on the Major with a slumped shoulder. I didn't look at everything, I left the office without saying a word, but before I could leave. I heard a soldier who seemed to stop my world.
"I'm glad you're alive."