“𝑨𝒖𝒕 𝒏𝒆𝒄𝒂 𝒂𝒖𝒕 𝒏𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆:” The Trial of Ten Fallen Souls

Article By: John Lester De Leon

Photo Courtesy: 1Docere Facebook Page

𝑰𝒏𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆. 𝑽𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆. 𝑫𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉.

The world we once envisioned as paradise—a promised land of peace and prosperity has long faded. Ever since sin made its mark on humanity, the three words mentioned have overshadowed the light of life with grim realities. The world is ensanguined, corrupted, and scarred by heinous crime and horrendous violence in the hands of those who hold power, wealth, and authority. These tyrants turned their possessions into weapons—not just to oppress and destroy, but also to provoke innocent individuals into believing that vengeance is also a salvation.

The shackles of injustice and the unending cycle of bloodshed are brought to life and given voice by the sophomore students of the 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐣𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 (𝐁𝐒𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝟐-𝟏𝐃), in partnership with CoED Spotlight Theatre Guild through a theatrical production, “𝐓𝐞𝐧 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐬: 𝐀 𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐍𝐨𝐧𝐞,” staged on 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟎𝟕, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓, at 𝐓𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐔𝐏 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 (𝐂𝐎𝐂).

The story centers on the lives of ten individuals—who are all strangers to one another—summoned to a desolate island by a mysterious host known only as Mr. Owen. The house that awaits them is grand, an ideal setting for days of making acquaintances and celebration. But beneath its elegance lurks something far more sinister. Unbeknownst to the esteemed guests, strings of revelations are about to unfold through a perilous game orchestrated by the unseen host.

The harmonious introduction and conversation of guests broke abruptly when a haunting voice echoed from a gramophone, unveiling each guest’s true identity and exposing the sins and crimes buried in their past. Astounded by the revelations, guilt slowly crept into their conscience, while suspicion and reclusion began to emerge. The ten guests, who were revealed to have committed crimes, turned against one another, desperate to unmask the true identity of Mr. Owen, whom they believed to be one of them.

𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐳𝐚𝐫 (Henry Ignacio), 𝐉𝐞𝐲𝐚 “𝑻𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏” 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐥 (Sheina Aguillon), 𝐑𝐮𝐝𝐲 “𝑩𝒓𝒖𝒕𝒆” 𝐁𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨 (Ryan Joseph Aguirre), 𝐉𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐩𝐡 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐨 𝐕𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐳 (John Dale Tracy Andal), 𝐃𝐫. 𝐉𝐚𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞 𝐀𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞 (Dhona Lee Lozano), 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐟𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐚 (Don Jean Mark Andoy), 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐲𝐧 𝐓𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐤𝐚 (Yra Sherlyfel Dulay), 𝐅𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐞 (Christian Jay Soriano), 𝐖𝐞𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐊𝐡𝐞𝐨 (Alexa Pacarat), and 𝐉𝐨𝐞𝐥 “𝑻𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒈𝒐𝒍” 𝐍𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚 (Christensen Gian Costillas) filled the stage with gripping suspense and chilling horror, as the rhyme of death—Ten Fallen Souls—sang the rhythm and the lost pieces of figurines signified the sequence of their inescapable fates to the grave.

Their merciless deaths were all rooted in felonies, such as homicide, murder, sexual abuse, red tagging, and power exploitation inflicted upon the innocent and helpless victims. The justice that these ten fallen souls had long tried to escape and conceal became the very poison and sickle that would ultimately hunt them down. In the end, the killer behind the carnage was revealed to be none other than Delfin Marosa, a former judge who may not have convicted the guests in a legal court, but who served as the grim reaper, delivering a merciless sentence that condemned them all to mortal indictment.

With the truth unveiled, the story of the fallen souls mirrors the grave realities of our society in terms of social inequality and injustices that put citizens into threads of inevitable death to pay the price for the crimes of those who possess power, wealth, and authority. They say that a sin cannot be atoned for by committing another sin, but if death is not the only way to hold the guilty accountable, then who is truly to blame, and who deserves to be condemned?

Although the theatrical play depicts a parallel world where justice is served coldly, mercilessly, and deadly, the rights of the oppressed, the discriminated, and the forgotten souls of society should never be merely works of fiction. Moreover, true justice cannot be achieved through bloodshed and violence in return, and those guilty of their sins must face the trial and judgment of both heaven and earth.