The High School Kids

THSK 5: Let's Hear The Truth

Monday / April 12, 2020 / 9:30 A.M

[Atty. Ferrer]

"Each day in this trial, we gonna hear a testimony from the students who knew Haviba Castaneda at Hamelton High, from Haviba's own parents. You'll hear about a girl in crisis, a poisonous school culture, and an administration that could have averted a tragedy, but didn't. You'll hear about a beautiful, innocent, happy girl and sensitive girl who's bullied to death. And for every story you heard about Haviba Castaneda that we've lost, there are stories of the living. There are lives in the peace. Justice must be done. For Haviba, and for those who are still suffering from what happened.

-

[Atty. Locsin]

"There's more than one side to every story. The plaintiffs will tell you what they believe to be Haviba's story, but nothing is as simple as it seems. No one is just a victim. Her parents want to blame the school, but there's plenty of blame to go around. You'll hear the full story. And you'll make up your own mind.

-

[Alec]

"They find you in the hallway... They act like they own the school. They get in your head.. People tell lies about you, and other people believe them. And it gets to the point where... the lies might as well be the truth."

[Atty. Ferrer]

"And did people tell lies about Haviba Castaneda?"

[Alec]

"Yes, they did. All the time. And another girl I know, she had something happen to her. She had to leave school for a while. While she was gone, the story got totally twisted."

[Atty. Locsin]

"Alec, in your deposition, you said you took a pictures of Haviba."

[Alec]

"Yes, I did. And it makes upset for her and I felt terrible about it."

[Atty. Locsin]

"But you didn't tell her that you stalking her?" nakangiting tanong nito.

[Alec]

"What?" napakunot naman noo ko habang nakatingin sa kanya.

[Atty. Locsin]

"Did you take these pictures?" sabay pakita nito ng mga pictures.

[Alec]

"Y-yes."

[Atty. Locsin]

"And that was is before or after Haviba was allegedly bullied?"

[Alec]

"I guess... Before."

[Atty. Locsin]

"And how did you come to take them?"

[Alec]

"I.. It was first day of school. Sophomore year. I was the student nerd life photographer. I first saw her at our room, actually were sit mate that time."

flashback....

Kasulukuyang nasa plaza ngayon dahil napag sundan namin ni Haviba na na mag photoshoot. When I saw her when she came here, she looks so sad.

"Should we took a photo shoot if it's okay?" tanong ko sa kanya sabay lingon nito sa akin.

"Yeah, sure." nakangiti nitong sabi.

"Okay, look the whole point it to capture you as who you are, okay?" nakangiti lang ito habang nakatingin sa akin.

"Yeah, okay. So, should we... start?" tumango naman ito sabay upo sa may bench.

Habang kinukunan ko siya ng picture, she's so lovely. So, innocent and beautiful.

"Yes, Okay, keep that up." sabi ko ngumiti naman ito sa akin.

[camera shutter click]

"Wow, you're really amazing. Thank you for doing this." sabi ko at agad na lumapit sa kanya.

"Thank you for this." I just looked at her while she's smiling at me.

end of flashback....

[Alec]

"The day were having a photoshoot I wondered who made her cry. Who made her feel like that.. when she only ever deserved to be happy? But like I said, the pictures only part of the story." I said.

[Atty. Locsin]

"On that pictures it seems that Haviba liked having her picture taken."

[Alec]

"Well, I mean, that day---"

[Atty. Locsin]

"You didn't tell us about that day. What else are you not telling us, Mr. Alec?" napakunot naman ang noo ko sa kanya.

[Atty. Ferrer]

"Objection, argumentative." biglang singit ni Atty. Ferrer.

[Atty. Locsin]

"Withdrawn. Mr. Alec, isn't it true that no real bullying resulted from any of the pictures you took from Haviba?"

[Alec]

"No, it's not true. I spread around the pictures of Haviba, so that other people can see how beautiful she is."

[Atty. Locsin]

"But how could that be bullying if Haviba liked the attention?"

[Alec]

"I mean, Yeah, she liked it then. But when Zion and his friends sent that pictures around.. it told a story that wasn't true. I wanted to tell Haviba I saw her for who she really was. I knew I had said the wrong thing."

"I printed out all the best photos from the shoot, so, she could see how beautiful she was, even the students at school wanted to see her as a slut or whatever. And I wanted to give them to her, as gift. But when I see her, she was with... a boy. And then I got shy, and I hide from them but when Haviba entered their house I followed her but I'm outside of there house. When I saw her in the outside window that she's in her room. I used my camera so, I can't see her clearly what she's doing and... I see her she just holding her phone and chatting someone I guess."

[Atty. Locsin]

"What did you see, Alec? Haviba was doing than chatting that nigth, wasn't she? What did you she?"

[Alec]

"She wasn't just texting, she was.... sexting. And, like showing herself off.. to some guy. After everything she went through. I just... didn't understand why she would do that, why did she would share that special part of herslef with.... some guy. Someone who didn't respect her."

[Atty. Locsin]

"So, are trying to tell us that isn't true that Haviba opened herself up for a reaction, and therefore, is in many ways responsible for what followed? Isn't she actually responsible? What about you Alec? Are you in no way responsible for the things that happen to you?"

[Alec]

"I mean, it's not like it goes both ways. There are people who get hurt, and people who do the hurting. No one likes the kind of attention Haviba got or I got. Or that I'm gonna set when I leave the court today. And we have to go back to that school where no one looks out for us. I mean Haviba took sexy pictures, but that doesn't make her guilty of anything. One picture never tells the whole story. Pictures keep secrets, just like people do."

"You have these pictures of Haviba. And you say they mean one thing, but you don't know. Just because you have the picture doesn't mean you have the truth. It doesn't mean you have the whole story. "