Courtroom Shooting and A Search for Truth

It was a tense day in court. Several cases were to be heard that day and the courtroom was full. A known NPA leader was to be tried and outside the courtroom, more than a dozen military escorts in uniform were loitering. They were all carrying with them their armalites, as if ready to do battle. The people awaiting for their cases to be called were silent, intimidated by the presence of these armed men. Cases after cases were called, tension was building up as litigants come and go from the witness stand. When the case of the NPA leader was called, all were silent. The old prosecutor, nervous of the unwanted attention, wanted to ask that the public be excluded from the courtroom. He stood up and said: “Your Honor, may I ask for the execution (exclusion) of the public?”. Surprised, the defense lawyer smiled, threw up his hands and said “Ay wag naman ganyan judge”

————

The case was called in court. The witness, a woman who looks to be in her sixties, was called to the witness stand. After she swore to tell the truth and nothing but the truth, the court interpreter asked her regarding her personal circumstances. When the witness’ age was asked, she replied, “35″.

Surprised, the interpreter said, “Tiya naman, I am already 40 years old and you look older than me and yet you want us to believe that you are in your 30s”. 

Witness: “O sige, 48″

Interpreter: “Sus man tiya“

Witness: “Sige na nga, 55″.

Interpreter: “I don’t believe you. You want us to believe that you are even younger than the judge?”

At this point, the entire courtroom was already laughing. The judge interfered and asked the witness if she was born before World War II and how old she was by then and so on. They were able to deduce that the witness’ age was about 65- older than the judge who was 61 then. The witness was finally able to testify. However, her credibility at that point was already in question.

———

Note: The above stories really happened.