Six strangers assemble to deliberate the case of an alleged drug addict who has shot a police officer dead. In the deliberation room, they waste no time and cast their votes. When they fail to reach a unanimous decision, they find themselves in a moral quandary. This is the premise of The Corner Studio’s People V. dela Cruz, a one-act play that imagines the country’s first jury case trial. 

Written and directed by Eldrin Veloso, People V. dela Cruz is a thought experiment on how erratic human behavior is especially when faced with high-pressure situations. The givens of the case were simple but by putting the jurors under the microscope, we see how choices are made and changed by specific types of people.

The play benefits from what little it divulges about the background of the characters. Aside from their pseudonyms and their initial convictions, there is not much the audience knows about them, almost a tabula rasa that allows us to project our own beliefs onto them.

Mark Aranal plays Mayor Rico who contents himself with bias in favor of policemen, he distinguishes himself as someone who has held a position of authority and therefore, demands respect and almost imperceptibly, submission.

Emlyn Olfindo-Santos as Marian (after the chapter of her prayer group) holds the audience captive to her idiosyncrasies and ignorance as a zealous and prayerful woman. With her acting chops, Emlyn portrays a very believable stereotype of that tita who leaves everything to faith and steadfast in her beliefs, no matter the facts presented.     

JP Basco as the paralegal Orion with measured control of each situation until his tipping point. He is gradual in revealing his side until he shows his hand towards the end. His capacity to play both objective in facade and being fully emotive when needed is most noteworthy.   

As a teacher who draws on experience, Katniss, played by Althea Aruta, stands as the voice of reason throughout the play. She is given the sole monologue in the script and delivered with the necessary heaviness given that it takes a page from real life.

Pauline Arejola as Solara is relatable to any anxious, young, and impressionable person. Even in her quiet presence, she manages to be very consistent in her character. Although through her self-centeredness and naiveté, she is taken advantage of by the opportunistic people in the room. 

Aaron Dioquino, the feisty Lean, probably after student-activist Lean Alejandro, gives a refreshing character that has more to scratch beneath the surface. He is brave to go against anyone and staunch in his participation as a responsible citizen, albeit nearing the borderline of being radical.

Despite the theme of the play, People V. dela Cruz is undeniably enjoyable, drawing laughs even in the gravity of the situation. Thanks to Rain de Jesus’ depiction of the Marshal, the audience are given enough breathing room to avoid bombardment. While her appearances are short, her comedic timing and quirky characterization are not to be missed.

There are multiple tension points in the story which allows each character to have their moment in the spotlight. The material has the meat which the actors have turned into a compelling watch. The production is not without its flaws but is obviously mounted with so much heart. Beyond that, its social commentary is more important, underlining how far we have yet to go as citizens and as a collective.

Speaking on this, writer-director Eldrin said, “What we want is to get to a point that the society can function where we dont allow our cognitive biases to override our logical biases when we need to be logical and to decide as a society.”

The play is ripe in the time of the current affairs of late: disappearing bride-to-be, death by suicide of an undersecretary, and most notably, the Supreme Court upholding the murder conviction of cops for the killing of Kian delos Santos. It puts speculation, judgment, and quick escalations into question and spots the challenges in a jury system where peers have their freewill and gut feel to decide on someone’s life. 

In People V. dela Cruz, the plot is imagined but the emotional impact is real. And the question remains: what would you do with a man’s fate when you have no stakes in the game. 

People V. dela Cruz runs at The Corner Studio Manila from January 16 to 17 and 23 to 24 with three additional shows on January 30 to 31. Tickets are available at tinyurl.com/PVDCtix.

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