Episode 13

Dinah took the policemen to meet with Bodega, their local counterpart. Who was just outside the hall.

Lt. Berdin: Hello Bodega, we need to find these persons ASAP, are they here today?

Lt. Berdin gave Bodega the list of witnesses in the complaints.

Bodega: Have you tried asking her to text them?

Lt. Berdin: Will they come?

Dinah: Well, usually they will if it is from the Community Hall?

Both Major Yap and Lt. Berdin looked at each other.

Major Yap: Very well then, text them, while in doing so we need to find their official residence. Lt. Berdin, wait for them here, while we go search for them at their homes. I’ll have one of my men accompany you. Bodega sir, shall we?

Lt. Berdin goes back inside the community hall with another extra policeman with him as Dinah leads the way back in.

Bodega: Why don’t we start with the nearest one?

Major Yap: Which one?

Bodega: Roel, Roel Cimafranca. He lives a few houses behind Villamar’s. It is just down this alleyway over there.

Bodega points to the house across the Sambag Tree, with a small alleyway about a meter width.

The neighborhood is not exactly the slums, the houses are built close to each other one could casually talk to your next door neighbor over the window, and each of the houses are at least two stories. The land area for the houses range from 150sq.m. to 300sq.m. a household. The area is considered a prime lot, which would fetch a hefty sum if sold at today’s market.

While Dinah is texting the witnesses individually, Bodega and the other cops follow him towards the Cimafranca residence.

Major Yap: So, why is he not at the office, if all of them work at the community hall.

Bodega: Unlike the local cops and the ones working directly like the Datu’s relatives or supporters, these so-called witnesses are somewhat more voluntary. They come in on a certain day. And today is not the day.

Major Yap: How convenient for us?

Bodega: Well it’s that house over there.

Major Yap: You think he’s around?

Bodega: I don’t know, but usually he should be around.

Nearby, a cell phone message alert beeps, the owner shirtless walks towards the window facing the alley outside, where the second floor living area is. He reads the message, then he sees several figures outside as he gets a glimpse from the end of the second floor living.

Down the alley, walking towards his house, Bodega points to his house. Cops! His mind runs wild, as inside his head, he keeps repeating, Cops! Shit!

He puts his phone in the back pocket of his jeans, he grabs a chair towards the small corridor towards the back of his house. At the end of it, on top of the ceiling is a small square, smaller than a manhole,  a small door and an opening enough for a slender man to go in.

He opens it and climbs up, not exactly a crawl space but he crawls to open another small door that leads to the roof. He gets out, frantic, he runs like he is losing it, he leaps to a neighbor’s rooftop.

As Bodega and the cops approach the Cimafranca residence, a neighbor starts shouting, cursing. A commotion, a crashing sound on the rooftops.

Major Yap: Who the hell is that on the rooftops.

Bodega: That’s him, why the hell is he running.

Major Yap: After him!

Roel Cimafranca jumps from rooftop to rooftop. The cops follow his roof hopping, as they chase him in parallel down the small alley.

Major Yap: Where do you think he’ll end out, where is his exit?

Bodega: Could be anywhere.

Major Yap calls it in.

Lt. Berdin hearing the dispatches on the radio. He approaches Dinah.

Lt. Berdin: Were you able to call all of them, or send them a text message.

Dinah: Of course I did.

Lt. Berdin: What did you say?

Dinah: I told them to come here.

Lt. Berdin: No, what did you actually text them.

Dinah: Please report to the community hall. The police are looking for you.

Lt. Berdin: What. I thought you just told them to come and report here. Nothing extra. You just scared the hell out of everyone. They might be running now. Hand me all of their addresses now!

Dinah stares blankly back. Which was not really the reaction the cops needed.

Lt. Berdin: Now!

Dinah rattles, and scrambles to look for their addresses. While the Lieutenant calls his boss, Councilman Tan arrives at the community hall.

Lt. Berdin: Hey boss! The secretary kind of tipped everyone. Major Yap is chasing one of them now. And I am stuck here at the community hall waiting for at least any of them to come, well at least voluntarily. The councilman is here.

Lt. Col. de la Cruz: That is not very promising. I should be there in ten minutes. Text the address to me, maybe I can pass by some of them.

Lt. Berdin hung up and texted the addresses. Major Yap was having no luck with Roel Cimafranca as he seemingly disappeared into thin air after leaping from one rooftop to the other.

Councilman Tan: Ah, it’s you.

Councilman Tan notices Lt. Berdin, the last time he saw him, he was wearing a police shirt with no rank insignia on. This time around he is wearing standard police office uniform with all the bells and whistles.

Councilman Tan: What brings you here, Lt. Berdin?

Lt. Berdin: You! We’ve been expecting you, but not today. Do you come here everyday?

Councilman Tan: Of course, I need to login everyday at least, and today is my officer on duty day.

Lt. Berdin: Excellent! Where can I talk to you? OR when can we talk? I would much appreciate it if you’d voluntarily go to Camp Cinco and talk to Col. Antigua.

Councilman Tan: I’m afraid, the time I have for this week has been allocated, I could only be available on Tuesday I suppose. Since I make Mondays a time to stay here. And the shift rotation of duty will take effect next week.

Lt. Berdin: Very well then, I need to sort out a few, and I’d like to talk to you. I’d rather have it that it best be in a more private manner.

Councilman Tan: It is not exactly private, but we discuss issues at the mediation room. I do not want to use the small conference room, the Datu might use it.

Lt. Berdin: And where will you be? That is since you’ll be here the rest of the day?

Councilman Tan, points to a desk outside of the mediation room.

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