Gracia and her husband earned a modest living by selling balut at night. One evening, while making their usual rounds in a street in Caloocan, her husband encountered a group of men drinking on the roadside. Drunk and unruly, the men began taunting him with insults. Gracia stepped in to defend her husband, but the tension only worsened. Before she could fully grasp the situation, her husband was caught in a heated altercation with one of the men.
As the chaos unfolded, Gracia rushed to intervene, only to witness the drunken man collapse, allegedly stabbed by her husband. Shocked by the sudden turn of events, her husband fled the scene in panic, leaving her alone with the fallen man.
Shortly after, Gracia—who had only tried to defuse the situation—was named the prime suspect. To her relief, her husband soon returned from his brief flight, determined to face the consequences.
In February 2021, both were charged with homicide, leaving Gracia bewildered by the nightmare they had fallen into. She insisted, however, that she had seen no wounds or blood on the man.
In June 2021, both Gracia and her husband were incarcerated, though in separate jails. Her husband was sent to Caloocan City Jail, while Gracia was taken to the Malabon City Jail Female Dorm. They endured the hardship of facing uncertainty without the resources needed for a swift legal process.
Gracia was referred to PRESO Inc.’s Community Bail Bond Program, where her eligibility, background, and good behavior were thoroughly assessed. After meeting the criteria, she was granted bail, with PRESO Inc. providing the necessary funds and facilitating her early release in April 2022, nearly a year after the incident. Shortly thereafter, her husband was also released with the support of his relatives.
According to Gracia, although witnesses came forward, none of their testimonies held significant weight. In the absence of compelling evidence, the court eventually decided on a provisional dismissal of the case.
Gracia shared that the most profound consequence of the ordeal was the trauma it left behind. Neither she nor her husband had the strength or courage to return to the streets at night to sell balut. Instead, they shifted to furniture varnishing as their new livelihood.
However, this line of work is seasonal, with several "ghost months" where business slows down. Additionally, Gracia suffers from asthma, and the harsh chemicals and strong odors from the varnish often trigger her symptoms, making the work even more difficult for her.
Gracia expressed her deep gratitude to PRESO Inc. for its unwavering support, noting that the organization continues to monitor them to ensure they comply with court rules, with the hope that the provisional dismissal of their case will eventually become permanent.
The emotional scars from the incident remain evident in Gracia, who painfully recounts the ordeal. They lost not only their dignity—especially Gracia, who had no involvement in the alleged crime—but also their once-thriving livelihood of selling balut. Now, they live in uncertainty, further compounded by Gracia’s deteriorating health as her asthma attacks have become more frequent.
They are considering shifting to a new business, but starting from scratch feels daunting. Despite their struggles, Gracia remains hopeful, praying that through divine intervention, things will eventually fall into place. Though they are poor, she prays for the chance to experience a well-deserved uplift and a life of greater stability and comfort.
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If anyone would like to help Gracia improve their livelihood and helath, please call PRESO Foundation at 09068221625 or contact Ms. Nita Silva Mangaser via her FB page or messenger
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