Episode 3

Tuesday, the assumption of Lt. Col. John de la Cruz as the commander of CCU7, and his promotion. There was no need for any endorsement from the previous commander. His former commander was promoted and he, the next in command became the acting commander or the OIC (officer in charge).

With a radiant smile he sits at the commander’s desk, while he awaits for three more new subordinate commissioned officers. No turn over formalities, he thinks.

They just started to train three more new Non-commissioned Officers to his office. And he is the only commissioned officer in his unit. And the complaints continue to come, one after another, and only one window, one officer each time to listen to the complainants.

Thinking to himself, well John you're a Lt. Colonel, and you stand alone to bear all these problems. Boy what a pickle you are in.

Synod Community

The smallest unit of government in Dakbayan, is called the Haop, literally it means territory. In fact it is traditionally the first unit of government back then.

In modern times the country has adopted English as the national language they now simply call it community. The smallest community then was at least a hundred people, now, it is simply called a village.

The village can be up to a thousand families, regardless of the population ratio. And a community can be up to a hundred families.

The community leader is called a datu, a datu is directly selected by the community, to be a datu you first have to win a council seat. The community elects thirteen council members, after this election they hold another election to elect a datu among the thirteen.

At the Synod Community, an arbitration meeting is called by councilman Robert Tan. Defendant is Jenny Lynn Villamar. The complaint is libel. The meeting is usually informal since this is more of an arbitration.

In cases that are not criminal in nature, or at best not an ongoing robbery or murder, it is procedure to start at the community level. Simply because it is the first unit of government.

Robert Tan arrives, along with his witnesses and another co-worker who fought against Ms. Villamar. The mediator is usually a respected community member and is the community's equivalent to a sitting judge of the judiciary.

Mediators are chosen either by lot or by direct assignment when needed. The mediator Joseph Liston drew the short end of the straw and was assigned as their mediator.

Joseph Liston sits on the mediator’s chair at the center of the small room’s far end. While the aggrieved party sits on his right and the defendant sits to his left. Both parties like in a regular court face the magistrate, in this case the mediator.

Joseph Liston: I see councilor you have arrived and everyone seems to be here except for our defendant. We will observe the rules we shall wait for the defendant for an hour, until then we shall wait.

Councilman Tan: Mediator Liston, this is the third meeting that we have set and she seems to be uninterested or she is making a mockery of this meeting. I have brought my witness here again can we not just proceed with the proceedings.

Joseph Liston: There will be no proceedings to mediate until the other party has arrived. As the rule says one hour. Indeed, this will be the last meeting and thus if she will not arrive we will proceed with the meeting in her absence.

Councilman Tan: Very well let us wait for her.

Camp Maxim

Meanwhile back at Camp Maxim, where the CCU7 is holding office. A minor accompanied by her parents makes a complaint to the police.

The desk Sergeant, Edwin Berdin listens to their issue.

Mr. Oscar Marcon with his wife Belinda and seventeen year old daughter, Suzee are all seated in front of him.

Sgt. Berdin: Good Morning ma'am, sir, and miss, how may I be of assistance today?

It took them a while to speak up, it is as if they are ashamed or frightened. But Oscar Marcon found a little courage to speak.

Mr. Marcon: Good morning sir… I do not know how to begin this. But my daughter might not be the best person in the world, but she has been receiving messages.

Mrs. Marcon: They are not nice messages, officer.

Sgt. Berdin: Okay. Can you tell me a little about this message? How was this sent?

Suzee: Email.

Sgt. Berdin: Can I read the email?

Mrs. Marcon: Yes, officer we printed it out, here it is.

Sgt. Berdin, reads the mail alright but it seems like it was printed out directly from a browser. There were telltale signs of bullying, threat of murder and rape. The words were quite vulgar, and the way it was worded out was like the sender was familiar with the daughter.

Sgt. Berdin: Do you know who sent this letter?

Mr. Marcon, with excitement and eagerness.

Mr. Marcon: You bet we do. It’s this stupid guy. Dudley, he is such a dud man!

Sgt. Berdin: How do you know?

Mr. Marcon: Who else would it be, he’s the guy who always comes along and sees her.

Sgt. Berdin: That is not evidence sir, we cannot take that to court, even the letter you printed out will not stand in court.

Mr. Marcon, incensed at the sergeants reply, with a loud voice he replies.

Mr. Marcon: You’ve got some nerve to tell us that, you’re nothing but a lowly policeman, I want someone I can talk sense to.

Sgt. Berdin: I am afraid that is not going to help your case if you have any.

Meanwhile at the CCU7 commander’s office, Officer Nuñez, informs the new commander of a phone call from the office of Gen. Mantos.

Nuñez: Excuse me Colonel sir, the Regional Director’s office is on the line.

Unlike the bigger units like the Narcotics command and the Criminal Intelligence Investigation Detection command have trunklines. They only have two landline phones, one that you see in public where they meet complaints and the other inside where it is common to all the members of the unit.

Lt. Colonel de la Cruz picks his phone up.

Lt. Col de la Cruz: Hello, Lt. Col de la Cruz speaking.

His secretary replaces the phone handset back down.

RD Ofc. Secretary: Sir, let me put you on hold. The General will be with you in a moment.

Brig. Gen. Severio Mantos, picks up his phone and with a happy face he speaks into it.

RD Mantos: Hello John, I hope you are settling in. How is the helm by the way?

Lt. Col de la Cruz: Same old same old. At least there is nothing that we cannot handle yet.

RD Mantos: I am glad that you are settling in I suppose. Will you be making changes to your procedures there?

Lt. Col de la Cruz: Not at the time being. We should be prepared to change tactics.

RD Mantos: Is there anything that you need from me?

Lt. Col de la Cruz: There is one… well two actually.

RD Mantos: Name it, and I’ll see what I can do about it.

Lt. Col de la Cruz: For starters, a better phone system. I know it is trivial. Second, I think the priority should be someone who knows computers to work here. Hell, we don’t even know what we are doing half the time. For crying out loud we are cops in the first place and not tech geeks.

RD Mantos: You see John, that is what I like about you. You go straight to the point. Your predecessor was a little too flowery. I cannot understand him more than half the time. I could probably get the first one up, no promises on the second one. Blame it on the House of Datus if you must.

Lt. Col de la Cruz: Thank you General.

RD Mantos : So, when can you come up here and we’ll have some coffee?

Lt. Col de la Cruz: I’d love to right away sir, but you know how it is sometimes. When you leave the fort and all our customers see is an NCO, they’d start mocking them if they don’t get what they want.

RD Mantos: Sounds like you are having one now. Are you?

Lt. Col de la Cruz: Yeah, I guess you got me there. He is loud and quite condescending.

RD Mantos: I hate to break it to you John, you will lose those two NCOs of yours, Berdin and Herasta.

Lt. Col de la Cruz: You transferred them? No did GHQ?

RD Mantos: No, no, not what I meant. Sorry to give you that conspiracy in your head. Academy graduates have this sensation that they deserve a better unit. Well, a juicy and less pain in the neck post. Unlike your batch. This must be some generational issue that we have. I am looking for a few more about five or ten. I’ll have my staff send you the orders, GHQ has given the approval and it is official. Berdin and Herasta are your Lieutenants, making them Detective Inspectors. You’ll need to find someone that you can trust as your deputy, give me a list and I’ll have a look at it.

Lt. Col de la Cruz: Thank you general. You almost gave me a heart attack; I can’t lose two of my best legal minds here. I think it’s a loss and a win. More importantly it is a gain.

RD Mantos: See you later John.

Both men put their handsets down. With that Lt. Col de la Cruz, gets up from his desk and goes to the main office area.

Lt. Col de la Cruz: So! What seems to be the problem here Lt. Berdin.

Wide eyed Berdin turns his head around.

Lt. Berdin: Nothing that we cannot resolve sir.

Mr. Marcon, aghast at what he heard from the commander.

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