Night Walker Detective

V1 - Chapter 6

‘The instant they say something you don’t expect or already know, you should drop into detective mood.’ – Emmett Shears

-Donovan’s POV-

“Kumusta ang lakad niyo, Detective Roxas?” pambungad na tanong ko pagdating namin. Nandito kami sa meeting room ngayon para pag-usapan ‘yong mga impormasyon na nakalap namin.

“Nakakuha kami ng kopya ng medical records ni Ronald Buenaventura pati na rin ‘yong listahan ng gamot na ni-release no’ng mga araw na ‘yon,” at inabot naman niya sa akin ‘yong mga papel.

“Tungkol naman sa kopya ng CCTV footage, hindi kami nakakuha dahil under maintenance raw ‘yong mga CCTV’s nila noong linggo na ‘yon,” dagdag naman ni Detective Villares.

“Ito naman ‘yong listahan ng mga kaso no’ng apat na nauna,” inabot naman ni Detective Angeles ‘yong mga report na nakuha nila.

“Nang binasa naming ‘yong testimony ng pamilya ng mga biktima, may napansin kami,” naagaw naming ni Detective Ventura ang atensyon ko dahil sa sinabi niya.

“Ano ‘yon?”

“May pagkakaparehas sa mga sinasabi nila. Lahat sila ay nalaman ang totoo dahil sa isang nagpakilalang doctor na nagta-trabaho raw sa Winsley Medical Hospital,” sagot naman ni Detective Angeles.

“Ganyan din ang sinabi sa amin kanina no’ng asawa ni Ronald Buenaventura,” singit naman ni Detective Raynolds.

“At pinapadala ‘yong mga medical reports through package,” dagdag naman ni Detective Ventura.

“Sino naman kaya ‘tong doctor na ‘to? Bakit hindi siya nagpapakita o nagpapakilala sa mga biktima?” tanong ni Detective Villares sa sarili.

“Kung sino man ang tao na ‘yon ay kailangan natin siyang mahanap,” panimula ko. “Kailangan nating imbestigahan ng opisyal ang kaso. Detective Villares, Detective Roxas at Detective Ventura, kausapin niyo ulit ‘yong mga pamilya nung apat na naunang kaso.”

“Okay, sir.”

“Alamin niyo rin kung sino ‘yong doctor na sinasabi nila,” inabot ko naman sa kanila ‘yong envelope na nakuha namin kay Stephanie. “Ipadala niyo sa laboratory ‘tong envelope para tignan ‘yong mga fingerprint ng taong humawak niyan.”

Pagkabigay ko ng mga gawain ay agad din silang umalis. “Detective Angeles, I want you to search for the owner of this number,” binigay ko naman sa kanya ‘yong papel na pinaglagyan ni Detective Raynolds no’ng number na kinuha namin kanina. “And you, Detective Raynolds, summon Dr. Theodore Williams, ngayon na natin siya kakausapin.”

“Yes, Sir!” at nagkanya-kanya na sila ng gawain.

Agad naman akong bumalik sa pwesto ko para pag-aralan ang mga report na nakuha namin. Kung may whistle blower nga sa Winsley Medical Hospital, paniguradong nagtatago siya ng mabuti.

Whistle blowing often causes significant disruption within the organization. Indeed, it may find itself crippled, and many within it who are little more than innocent bystanders may also suffer. Whistle blower are protected under law from employer retaliation. Pero sa ibang mga kaso napaparusahan sila, kagaya ng pagkatanggal sa trabaho, pagkaltas sa sweldo, o kaya naman hindi magandang pakikitungo ng ibang kapwa empleyado.

Expected ko na agad na mahihirapan kaming hanapin siya, pero hindi pa rin naman masamang sumubok.

“Team leader, nakausap ko na ‘yong personal attorney ni Dr. Williams at pumayag silang pumunta. Actually, papunta na sila ngayon,” pahayag ni Detective Raynolds.

“Okay, kunin mo na ‘yong mga file report at ihanda sa interrogation room,” I said at inihanda pa ang ibang gamit na kakailangan naming para mamaya.

After an hour ay nakarating din ang pangunahing bisita na kanina pa naming hinihintay, si Dr. Theodore Williams.

Agad na pumasok si Dr. Williams kasama ang abogado niya kaya naman ay sinalubong ko sila papasok.

“Good afternoon, I’m Detective Donovan Portman, it’s nice to finally meet you doc,” pakilala ko sa kanya at saka inabot ang kamay ko.

“Good day, detective. I’m Dr. Theodore Williams, pleased to meet you too,” he said at inabot ang kamay ko pabalik.

“Good afternoon, detective, I’m Atty. Lucas Cesar,” pakilala naman ng attorney na kasama niya.

“Your name sounds familiar, detective. Did we see each other before?” tanong ni Theodore pagkaupo namin.

“No, this is the first time that we met. Baka ‘yong father ko ang na-meet mo, doc. He’s also a detective,” I said as I observe him. Nasa kaliwa ko si Detective Raynolds habang nasa harapan ko naman siya at nakatabi sa kaliwa ‘yong attorney na kasama niya.

“Oww, that’s why,” he said at napahawak pa sa baba niya na parang may inaalala.

Magsasalita pa sana siya pero pinutol ko na ang sasabihin niya. “Yeah, can we start?” I said dahil wala akong panahon na makisabay sa pagre-reminisce niya kung ano man ang ugnayan nila ng tatay ko.

“Impatient detective, I see,” komento niya pa.

“I’m just excited to talk to you, Dr. Williams,” I said as I smiled at him.

-----

“Attorney, can you leave us for a while? We do have some questions for the accused,” I said at sinamahan naman siya ni Detective Raynolds palabas.

“We’ll be now starting our interrogation. Lahat ng pag-uusapan sa loob ng kwartong ‘to ay recorded at under surveillance,” pumasok naman si Detective Raynolds dala-dala ang mga medical reports ng biktima.

“Now, you are being questioned as the accused and everything you say can and will be used against you,” paliwanag ni Det. Raynolds.

“We’ll start,” I said at nilatag sa harapan ni Dr. Williams ‘yong death certificate ni Ronald Buenaventura. “On the day of February 3, 2021, Ronald Buenaventura was declared dead at 10:24 PM, am I right doc?”

“Yes,” maikling sagot ni Dr. Williams.

“Pagkatapos ma-discharge sa Winsley Medical Hospital, wala nang record na nagsasabing muling na-admit si Ronald Buenaventura pero may draft record na nagsasabing namatay siya sa Winsley Medical Hospital dahil sa meningitis,” tinignan ko siya sa mata bago muling nagsalita. “Is it just a same name?”

“I claim my Miranda rights,” he said at nginitian ako.

I smirked at muling nagtanong. “He was prescribed the medical chemotherapy drugs for his treatment. Can you state the two drugs?”

“Vincristine and cytarabine,” he calmly said.

“How are they administered?” I asked again while still looking at his eyes.

“Vincristine is injected intravenously below the collarbone and cytarabine injected intrathecally,” he clasped his two hands and looked at me straight in the eyes.

“How do you distinguish the two?” muling tanong ko.

“Both are colorless and odorless,” same as what Detective Angeles says during the meeting. “Thus, we bring the vials to the patient labeled. Before injecting, we fill the syringe with the drugs and inject them in order.”

“Anong mangyayari kapag napagpalit ang dalawa? If the drugs are switched. If vincristine is injected into the spinal canal, what happens?” napalunok naman siya sa tanong ko. “What would happen to the patient?”

Huminga siya ng malalim bago sumagot. “Vincristine has a high neurotoxicity level and if given intrathecally by accident, it can cause ascending in nerve, which is almost always fatal.”

“So, what would happen to the patient?”

“The patient will die,” base sa pagkakasabi niya, parang wala lang sa kanya na may namatay siyang pasyente.

“So you do admit that you killed the victim?”

“No. It was a medical error,” sagot niya habang nakangiti. How dare him to smile.

“No! You killed him. You killed Ronal Buenaventura!” hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko kaya napataas ang boses ko.

“You know nothing, detective. You know what happens if a person works without a rest? Do you have any idea what it is like for the doctors here? The schedule is killing them.”

“When you lied to his family that he died of meningitis, were you delirious from lack of sleep?” bigla namang nagbago ang ekspresyon niya dahil sa sinabi ko.

“Don’t mock us, detective. Don’t mock the doctors,” malumanay na sabi niya habang mahigpit ang pagkakahawak sa mesa.

“Let me ask you something, doc. Where were you when the drug was being administered incorrectly by the doctor? If you have nothing to be ashamed of, you should’ve said that you killed a man due to fatigue and lack of sleep!” tumayo ako at mas lumapit sa kanya across the table. “You covered it up, but now that you’ve got caught, you’ll whine how badly they have it?”

Hindi siya sumagot kaya nagpatuloy ako sa pagsasalita. “You act like you’re defending your co-workers, your juniors, but you’re just saying that you’re innocent and that it was all their fault that the drugs are administered incorrectly.”

“I invoke my rights against self-incrimination,” as he said that words agad na pumasok si Colonel kasama si Atty. Cesar

“What are you doing, detective?” hindi na niya ako hinintay pang sumagot at agad na bumaling kay Dr. Williams. “My apologies Dr. Williams for you coming here, you can go home already.”

“No problem, Colonel Martinez,” Dr. Williams said and he turned to me. “Nice talking to you, Detective Portman. Hope to see you again, but not here,” he said at umalis na kasama si Atty. Cesar.

“What do you think you are doing, Detective Portman?”

“Hindi ba tama na tanungin ko ang akusado tungkol sa kaso, Colonel?” tanong ko sa kanya pabalik.

“I’m disappointed, detective. I told you to take a special care with this case, but you only disappoint me,” sabi niya pa habang umiiling-iling.

“We’re sorry, sir,” sagot ni Detective Raynolds pero nanatili akong tahimik.

“What I want to happen is that make an agreement or settlement with the victim’s family and close this case as soon as possible without anyone convicting,” tinapik naman niya ang balikat ko. “You understand Detective Portman?”

“Yes, sir,” I said pero hindi bukal sa loob ko ang sinabi ko.

“Good,” he said at nauna nang umalis kaya naman naiwan kaming dalawa ni Detective Raynolds.

Paano namin mabibigyan ng hustisya ang pagkamatay ng biktima kung sa simula pa lang ay manipulado na ang lahat?

“Team leader, sundin na lang natin ang sinabi ni Colonel Martinez, mahirap na, baka tayo pa ang mapasama,” paalala ni Detective Raynolds.

“Wala naman tayong magagawa,” nasabi ko na lang at agad na lumabas ng interrogation room.

Sabi na nga ba, kaya masama ang hinala ko sa kaso. Hindi naman pwedeng pabayaan naming ‘yong pamilya ng biktima. Aish! Bahala na akung anong mangyayari sa kaso.

Losing someone you love is one of the most devastating times for families to endure. What makes the matter worse in this case is that the loss of the family members is caused by an error on the part of medical professionals.

Medical malpractice needs to be established prior to bringing the claims against the medical professionals or to the hospital. Gravely mistakes made by the medical doctors or nurses are acts of carelessness and negligence that are considered medical malpractice, because medical professionals are held to a standard of care.

Just because the court finds that a doctor committed medical malpractice, this does not mean that the doctor will lose his medical license.

“Team leader, may tawag ka mula kay Atty. Cesar,” nabaling ang atensyon ko kay Detective Villares, hindi ko namalayan na nakabalik na pala sila.

“Transfer the call,” utos ko na agad naman niyang ginawa.

“Good afternoon, Detective Portman, this is Atty. Cesar from Winsley Law Firm,” huminto siya sa pagsasalita bago muling nagpatuloy. “We met earlier, do you remember?”

“Yeah. What do you need, attorney, by the way?”

“Regarding to the case of my client, Dr. Theodore Williams. We’ll talk to the family of the victim and came up with agreement,” gano’n kabilis? Paanong nakausap na agad nila ang pamilya ng biktima kung halos isang oras pa lang ang nakalilipas simula nang umalis sila?

“Anong gusto niyong mangyari?”

“I just called to inform you, that the family of the victim decided to withdraw the incident report and agreed to sign a contract regarding to the compensation that they will receive.”

“Isn’t it informal to inform me here in call?”

“Then, if that’s what you like. I’ll visit you again detective and will present to you personally the signed contract. See you, detective,” he said and ended the call.

How cunning. Now, I’m interested to know how cunning they are. That really proves how faster money works.

Great wealth certainly buys such status symbols. However, the social symbolism is only marginally economic. Great fortunes can buy something important which is out of reach of typical or average families, and that is influence.

This kind of society creates a much wider divide between the wealthy families and the rest of the citizen in the country.