Smaller and Smaller Justice

“You’ve been watching too many foreign movies, Father Saenz; there are no serial killers in the Philippines, and if there were, they would be white males in their thirties.”

I used to read Nancy Drew in high school. I was very amazed by how this teenage girl could solve millions of cases from its first publishing up to the present. Then I became addicted to Medical Investigation, Crime Scene Investigation, Jake 2.0, Without a Trace, Blind Justice, and almost every sleuthing show on television. I enjoyed all those and dreamt of becoming a detective as well. But that was long ago. Seeing all these in my present perspective, I realized how well the United States solve small to big time crimes. Of course, they have intelligent people, high-class equipment and facilities and comprehensive FBI database making justice easy to achieve. Then I wonder, why is it not like that in the Philippines? Why is justice so hard to achieve in this country of ours?

A detective story in Philippine literature? For sure?

This was my reaction when I started reading “Smaller and Smaller Circles” by F.H. Batacan for our preliminary exam in Philippine Literature class. Reading the book made me remember my excitement when reading Nancy Drew way before. But this time, the book gave me more than fancy excitement. I was amazed by how this Filipina author (yes, F.H. Batacan is a female) could craft this detective story (Mary Higgins Clark, eh?) set in the Philippines, with Filipino characters, and within Philippine circumstances. This novel even made more impact to me compared to Nancy Drew and CSI. It made me realize that the Americans are not the only ones who could create such thrill in readers or viewers. Filipinos can do it, too, after all. When everyone was going crazy over Stephenie Meyer, I was, on the other hand, going gaga over F.H. Batacan. Sorry, I’m not a Twilight fan.

The novel is about the argument whether there are serial killers in the Philippines or if there are not. The one I quoted in the lead is what the PNP has said to Father Augusto Saenz, the protagonist in the story. He is a Jesuit priest and a forensic anthropologist who believes otherwise. He is helped by another Jesuit priest, Father Jerome Lucero, who is a clinical psychologist and a former student of Saenz. I also believed before that the stories of psycho killers spreading around were not true, that they have just been made up. The quote above was the same claim of my History professor when the news about a psycho killer slashing off breasts of virgin women was at its peak. She said that psycho killing is Western by nature. But with a lot of unsolved murder stories just around the metro, body parts scattered around the streets, news about journalists found dead everywhere, who knows if there really is one?

The story revolves around a series of killings happening in Payatas wherein people would find dead bodies of little boys around eight to ten years of age among the garbage. They were naked, the heart and stomach taken out, genitals removed and faces skinned off. I remember reading these descriptions in the book while eating at McDonalds. Very horrible!

Father Saenz is given the task to solve the mystery behind it with the struggle against the arrogant Atty. Benjamin Arcinas of the NBI who thinks of the priest’s theory as invalid. But in the course of the events in the story, Saenz proves his theory correct. His serial killer is a psychologically-disturbed dentist in the barangay mobile clinic. Of all people, my Lord! This dentist, Alex Carlos, has a tragic childhood. He was sexually abused by his P.E. teacher when he was still in elementary and this experience made him attack innocent kids every first Saturday of the month. It somewhat gives him the chance to revenge indirectly. In the end, however, Saenz and Lucero succeeded the ordeal. Alex died in the course of the chase which also put Saenz’s life at risk. If the old NBI Director had not given this case to this learned forensic anthropologist with a brand new different belief other than the majority of the police, a dead body of a child would still be mourned for amidst the garbage pile every first Saturday of the month.

Are our own police force, detectives and lawyers slow and incapable that’s why most cases we hear about are not solved? Or is it because there are possibilities that these authorities are afraid to consider? Possible suspects of crimes are shown on television but, usually, it just ends there. Oh, justice, why are you so hard to find?

Maybe that’s why there are brilliant writers and TV producers. They extend messages to people. I’m not even sure if justice is really easy to attain in the States. I don’t know if what they write about Nancy Drew and how on CSI refer to close reality. But since I am a Filipino, I know that what Batacan wrote is based on the real scenario.

Sometimes, all we got to do it read, observe, listen, and watch not only what foreign fad dictates but also what the brilliant mind of our fellow Filipinos could offer. That is simply giving justice to our identity as Filipinos.

Elite Crew welcomes new sisters for battle

CCATT STREET Elite Crew, the official dance troupe of the Communication Department of Miriam College opens its doors once more for aspiring members who will help form the new set of competing team for the upcoming Skechers Streetdance Battle Year 5. Second batch of auditions will be on July 20, 2009, Monday at 9AM onwards in PA-104.

Students who wish to be part of the team but were not able to sign up last week at the CCATT booth in Upper Lanai can still come at the auditions.

Auditionees are required to prepare a 1-minute routine and come in comfortable clothes, preferably shirt and jogging pants, and rubber shoes.

CCATT Street has been representing Miriam College in Skechers Streetdance Battle since the first year of the competition. The team did not make it in the finals last school year and aims to hit the spot again this time. A large percent of the girls' competing team has graduated already and so the crew is in need for more members to train with.

Memiors of the Turtle Part II

What do i have in my collection? Well, actually I just have a few valued items. Some were broken and thrown away already. Some were still in the stores waiting for me to buy. You know, collecting is also expensive and I only get a little allowance. Most of my turtles are gifts from from friends which also makes them more valuable to me.

I can't remember anymore which turtle item I first had but I think that was Christmas 2005 when I first received a turtle Christmas gift which was a cellphone chain from my high school friend Dominique. I called the rubber turtle Doms, after Dominique's name. Then the next Christmas, she gave me a vibrating stuffed toy which is not vibrating anymore because my Atenean friend Brian who broke the string that would make it vibrate. He promised to replace it but he didn't. Anyway, it's OK. It's still a stuffed toy. Oh, by the way, I named it Niqo, one of Dominique's nicknames. Niko is my first turtle stuffed toy.

It was also December 2006 when my younger sister Keren gave me a turtle necklace as a Christmas gift. I named the metal pendant Krismas.

It was one summer in high school when my friend Krizia gave me this turtle plastic bead. It's so small but I still managed to keep it. Its color is pink and I named it ChaCha, one of Krizia's nicknames. I always name my turtles after the names of the people who gave them.

In third year high school, one of my favorite classmates in our section gave me bookmark with a turtle drawing in it and a Bible verse beside the drawing. Her name is Hanna. But I call the turtle Cheer because it was the "brand" that she put at the back of the bookmark.

The first turtle item that I actually bought was my binder which has a turtle icon on it. Its eyes were even crossed and below the drawing is a very inspiring quote which says, "Failure is not failure but the opportunity to try again more intelligently." However, I don't have a name for it. Haha! I bought it in first year college.

The second turtle item that I bought was still in first year college around August 2007. Its name is Patty, a cellphone chain again and I bought it at Swell Stuff in Robinson's Galleria. It was my first time in Galle at that time after a dance rehearsal at Meralco Fitness Center. I was with my friends and co-members in C*CATT Street namely Gela and Marge. I called it Patty because our president in CCATT then was Ate Pat Martinez and she also had the same chain. She said she bought it because it's green. But I bought mine because it's a turtle.

Christmas of 2007, my "daughter" friend Jenifer gave me my second stuffed toy, much bigger than Niqo. I called it Kelly. It was my ex-crush who named it. Then January 2008, my friend Abby gave me a much bigger one. I was so happy that a lot of people were giving me turtle stuffed toys. I can hug a turtle at last! It's very comforting. Aden is the name of my biggest stuffed toy and again, it was my ex-crush who named it. Kelly and Aden.

Kelly, Aden, and Niqo. I formed a family already and they became part of my bedtime.

I'm not sure but I think it was summer of 2008 when Cheryll, my college friend gave me a keychain with a blue glass turtle this time. I call it ChiChay. Should I still explain why?

That same summer, my students in a summer class in Ateneo High School where I volunteered as tutor gave me a turtle ring. It's so cute and I didn't name it. Now, I call it Merry after their class beadle. Oh, I miss the kids!

I remember my students during the summer previous to that; they gave me a folder with their messages in it. On the cover, I think one of them drew a turtle and they named it Sandy. I was touched that just by those little things, I think it's worth the effort teaching them. I think I'm going back to tutor there again this year.

My college years are marked by a lot of sacrifices. The challenges in this period really test the turtle in me. I once felt like the turtle wasn't in me anymore but I tried to revive that spirit once more and hopefully it's for eternity.

Christmas of 2008, I decided to give Kelly as an outreach donation for poor kids. I was thinking then what toy to give because I didn't want to give up one of my turtles. But what is genuine generosity? I could have given my giraffe, bear, and other stuffed toys at home but I guess I would not have truly helped a kid if I just donated any toy. Generosity is not only giving what you have but giving your heart with what you have. I donated Kelly to share my life with a kid who couldn't afford to buy a toy. It was actually part of a sacrifice. It was my birthday month, and I think I was in penance at that time with all the bad things I've done to mother. Sigh! True love hurts.

When my birthday came, Lyane, one of my friends and co-member in CCATT gave me a similar stuffed toy as a gift. She told me she wanted to replace the turtle that I donated. I was so touched and teary-eyed that morning and it just made my day. Now, Aden has a new companion-- MJ, to rhyme Lyane's nickname which is LJ.

The latest turtle I have is the necklace that was given to me as pasalubong from Baguio. Anne, one of my closest friends gave that to me but I didn't want to name it after Anne. I named it Pags because she calls me that name sometimes because of this interest of mine. Haha! Pags! It's pendant is made of wood and it looks really native. I miss Northern Philippines!

I still have a long list of turtle items to buy. I actually planned to shop for turtle items last May 23 to celebrate World Turtle Day but I didn't have the budget. Haha! It's so frustrating but I still believe in my power to purchase. Aja!

With all these items in my collection, my own beliefs about the turtle, and just my simple love for this reptile, I came to love every turtle picture I see on books, magazines, newspapers and on TV. I keep articles about turtles and editorial cartoons with turtles as symbols. I started downloading videos of TV ads with turtles just like the Bibbo Hotdog commercial. I really love it! If only I could have a puppet like that.









My Friendster layout has a turtle on it; my Multipy site is entitled "Mabilis na Kapagongan;" this blog is Turtle Keziah; my SuperPoke Pet is a turtle named Kreptle. Everything turtle!

Even my favorite cartoon characters are turtles. I love the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; Squirtle, Wartortle, and Blastoise of PokeMon; and Squirt and Crush in Finding Nemo. Green became my favorite color alongside blue which is the color of the sea.

The turtle has been part of my childehood until the present and I just thank God for creating such an inspiring creature. I'm the person who sees the brighter side of things and I just can't limit my definition of the turtle to its stereotype. The turtle, for me, is a symbol of a happy childhood, my symbol of strength, the dream of long life, and an advocacy for animal freedom. Best of all, the turtle is the reason of all this heck. I really tried my best to document all these do all the questions in my mind and other people's will be answered. Now, we know the stories behind all these. I do hope we had a great time.



"Turtles dance in my coffee cup
Rainbows on the kitchen counter..."
-Sanchez, Turtles Dance

June 29, 2009