Bagong laya

Episode on April 14, 2008 Monday late night after Saksi How difficult is it to reintegrate into society after years in prison? Charlie and Gerry are about to find out. They have spent half a decade in Muntinlupa’s Medium Security Compound. Charlie was found guilty of frustrated parricide, while Gerry served his sentence for acts of lasciviousness. Both are 42-years old and both are on their last day in Bilibid when documentarist Jay Taruc meets them. There they say goodbye to inmates who have almost become family … and face the excitement and fear of their first hours, then first days of freedom. Gerry hopes to stay with his sister. But first, he must ask her forgiveness. He gave her a headache for years – with his addiction to drugs, his trips in and out of prison and his membership in the notorious Sigue-Sigue Sputnik Gang. Charlie was also once a drug addict. He was married with two children. It was, in fact, his very own wife who sent him to jail! But he says, prison made him a changed man and he intends to rebuild his marriage and become a good father to his kids. Their surprising first days at home and traumatic experiences in search of work are documented by Jay Taruc’s cameras in this Monday’s unforgettable I-Witness episode “Bagong Laya."

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Gaano kahirap bumalik sa lipunan pagkatapos lumabas ng kulungan? Ito ang malalaman nina Charlie at Gerry -- parehong may edad na 42 anyos at parehong bagong laya mula sa Bilibid. Ang kanilang mga kaso, frustrated parricide para kay Charlie at acts of lasciviousness naman para kay Gerry. Sa dokumentaryo ni Jay Taruc ngayong Lunes, susundan niya sina Charlie at Gerry sa kanilang huling araw bilang mga preso. Sasabayan niya rin sila na bitbit bitbit ang kanilang mga gamit at dala ang pag-asang makabalik sa iniwang pamilya. Binata pa si Gerry. Ngunit sa kanyang paglaya, susubukan niyang humingi ng patawad sa dalawang kapatid na binigyan niya noon ng sakit ng ulo. Dati raw siyang lulong sa droga, labas-masok sa bilangguan, at miyembro ng Sigue-Sigue Sputnik gang. Katulad ni Gerry, si Charlie ay nalulong din sa droga. Ang kaibahan ng dalawa, si Charlie ay may asawa at dalawang anak. Sa katunayan, ang asawa ni Charlie ang nagpakulong sa kanya! Matapos magdusa ng limang taon sa kulungan, ninanais pa ring balikan ni Charlie ang asawa. Marami raw ang nagbago sa ugali niya habang nasa kulungan--- nakapag-aral ng vocational course at naging malapit sa Diyos. Ngunit sapat na kaya ang mga pangakong ito nina Charlie at Gerry upang muling tanggapin ng kani-kanilang pamilya? Kayanin kaya nilang tuparin ang mga pangako ng bagong buhay sa ngalan ng pagmamahal ng pamilya? Sino ang kumpanyang tatanggap sa isang dating preso? Alamin ang kahihinatnan nina Charlie at Gerry sa I-Witness ni Jay Taruc na pinamagatang “Bagong Laya" ngayong Lunes.