Meanwhile, as the people brought by Lola Yma were carrying Lumawig back to her house, news of the devastation that happened in Lumawig’s hometown sent the whole nation into a frenzy. The death of over eight thousand people is something not even the national government can ignore.

“Sylvia, behind me is the barangay center of New Iloilo. But as you can see, there is not a single person present in this place. However, there is a blood-filled stench pervading in the air as police and military are retrieving bodies after bodies of dead people in this place. Most of them have their guts and hearts missing or ripped out.” A female reporter told her anchor, while covering her face and nose with a makeshift mask out of a handkerchief and resisting the urge to throw up.

“It seems that not even infants have been spared from this horrific massacre, of not just one family but a whole barangay! Some people have their heads missing, making identification a little bit more difficult for the authorities, and–“ Another reporter was in the midst of his sentence when he was no longer able to stop the urge to vomit.

No one can blame him though as the sight and smell was truly horrible, the smell was very pungent like when one goes to a wet market, only that it was made worse by a hundred times. Especially as one day has already gone by, before anyone was able to notice something was wrong. Together with the summer heat, the decomposition of the dead bodies was faster. Flies and other disease-carrying insects also flocked to this place for a feast, the decaying bodies of dead people are hard to resist for them.

Over the barangay of Dumadalig, a similar scene was also taking place, but the situation is a lot better as no overpowering stench has yet to permeate the air. However, the scene of dead people and mangled bodies made the massacre at Dumadalig much worse, as no single person died with their body intact.

“What the hell happened here?! All these bodies are all so mangled up, there is no intact corpse! Who or what could have done this?!” one of the police officers exclaimed. Even though he had seen his fair share of bloody scenes, this was his first time seeing something like this.

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“Sir, there are people that wish to enter the barangay. They claim that they were residents of this place and that they left their homes yesterday.” PO3 Archie Periya reported. His face is pale, an evidence that even he has been greatly affected by the brutal scene.

“Hmm? Did they identify themselves? Never mind, bring them to me first!” SPO4 Edgardo Lamitan answered the young officer. It turned out that he was put in charge of the investigation in Dumadalig.

“Yes sir!” affirmed the young officer.

After a few minutes PO3 Periya came back with some fifteen people following him. Among them are two familiar faces if Lolo Gani or Lumawig could see them – it was Empoy and his father. Once they reached SPO4 Lamitan who was at the barangay hall, the senior officer immediately questioned them.

“Do any of you know what happened here?” he asked in a stern voice.

SPO4 Lamitan, however, was met with silence from this group of people. They only looked at each other and shook their heads.

“I have expected as much. I was just shooting for the stars hoping that some of you may know what happened here.” SPO4 Lamitan said in a slightly disappointed tone.

“Uhm…sir, I don’t know if this can help, but there was a reason why we left the barangay yesterday.” An old man from the group started to talk.

“Hmm? You are saying that you had a reason to leave this place yesterday?” A surprised PO3 Periya could not help but exclaim

“Can you please tell us? Any information you can provide, no matter how small, is going to help us a lot in our investigation.” A hopeful gleam could be seen on SPO4 Lamitan’s eyes.

“We left because Gani told us to.” Another person joined the conversation.

“Gani?” A look of confusion painted SPO4 Lamitan’s face, while PO3 Periya had a thoughtful look.

“Sir, I believe they are referring to Isagani Mercado. That old man who gave us that head.” The young officer finally remembered.

“Yes! I remember him now!” SPO4 Lamitan also remembered. “Why is he not with you, by the way?” Turning his head, he asked the group of people. Since he was the reason why the family of this group of fifteen people left Dumadalig, it is only logical that he too, should have left with his family.

Hearing the question, the group fell silent again. SPO4 Lamitan did not need to be told that Lolo Gani stayed behind from the reactions of the people.

“Well, can you tell me why Isagani told you to leave, and why is it that he only told the lot of you and not everyone else?” SPO4 Lamitan changed the subject and tried to ask for more information.

“It was because of a woman.” One of the people who was with Lolo Gani yesterday finally said.

“A woman?” Clarified the senior officer.