Everyone in that small barangay knew Aling Rosa – an expert at prying, being jealous, especially of younger, more beautiful women.

Ever since a girl named Marites moved in next door, living alone, dressing neatly, and occasionally having men come and go at night, Aling Rosa felt like she was sitting on hot coals.

– “Dalaga na ganyan ang pamumuhay? Siguradong may kinakasama sa loob ng bahay!” – she muttered, her voice full of spite.

Not only did she stop at words, she also lurked through the window, even installing a mini camera on the fence. Every night, she hid behind the saging bushes outside the alley, holding her cellphone, waiting for the “golden moment”.

Two weeks passed, and she had a few blurry clips – there were indeed men coming and going from Marites’ house. That night, she invited a few more trusted kapitbahays to join her in “catching him in the act.”

And then… the opportunity came.

Marites opened the door and escorted a man out. The porch light was bright, illuminating his face.

– “Ayan! Kita n’yo?! Siya ang… Uy Diyos ko!!!”

Aling Rosa stopped, her eyes wide, then screamed loudly throughout the barangay:

– “Diyos ko po! Asawa ko ‘yan!!!”

The entire group of “detectives” gasped. Mrs. Rosa rushed forward, wrenched open the gate of Marites’ house, waving her cellphone with the hidden video clip, crying and cursing. But Marites just calmly folded her arms, invited everyone in… and placed a stack of papers on the table: a kopya ng annulment from three years ago, along with a report of abuse that Mrs. Rosa’s husband had been involved in.

Marites looked straight at Mrs. Rosa, her voice firm:
– “Hindi ko alam na dati siyang asawa mo. Nandito siya dahil buwan-buwan, nagpapadala siya ng pera para sa anak ng babaeng minsan niyang niloko. Dalawang linggo kang nagkubli sa puno ng saging, pero hindi mo man lang nakita kung saan itinapon ng asawa mo ang consensya niya?”

Mrs. Rosa was stunned, picked up her shoes and ran away amid the whispers of the neighbors:

– “Ay naku, sariling pamilya nga hindi maayos, may gana pang manghimasok sa iba…”

From then on, the mini camera was taken down, no one was spying on the saging bush, and Marites – still lived peacefully as before, except that no one dared to whisper behind her back anymore.

After that night, the whole barangay was buzzing with gossip. The story of Aling Rosa stalking the neighbors and discovering that her own husband “frequented” Marites’ house spread like wildfire. But what was more shocking was not Marites, but the annulment paper and the abuse record that she had shown everyone.

The next morning, the barangay captain called the husband – Mang Ernesto – to a meeting right at the barangay hall. The people came in droves, all curious. The barangay captain knocked on the table, his voice stern:

– “Ernesto, lumabas na ang totoo. May record ka ng pananakit noon, may annulment papers pa. Ngayon, ginagamit mo pa rin ang pangalan mo para magpanggap na maayos na asawa’t ama? Hindi puwede ‘to!”

Mang Ernesto bowed his head, his face ashen. But the people did not show mercy. A series of whispers arose:

– “Aba’y kaya pala laging gabi-gabi may dalang pera, akala namin galante, yun pala may tinatago!”

– “Sira na ang dangal niya. Tsk, tsk.”

The barangay captain sentenced him to community service for one month – cleaning kalsada, sweeping trash, under the supervision of the tanod. In addition, the certificate of violence was forwarded to the DSWD (Department of Social Welfare) for filing, permanently losing his chance to get a decent job in the city.

In the following days, the image of Mang Ernesto hunched over sweeping trash on the street, sweating under the mocking gazes of his neighbors, became a familiar sight. Those who used to hang out with him at the sari-sari store also turned their backs, not wanting to get involved.

As for Aling Rosa, after the shock, she had to endure the humiliation of hearing whispers everywhere she went:

“Ay, siya pala ‘yung tsismosa na nahuli… sariling asawa pa ang pasaway.”

Marites was the opposite. From being a victim of scrutiny, she became a person of sympathy and respect. Neighbors visited, brought food, and talked to her more. People looked at her with different eyes – no longer suspicious, but understanding.

And then, the “karma” fell on Mang Ernesto: his honor was lost, his reputation collapsed, his family was broken. Meanwhile, Marites still lived calmly, quietly taking care of her life, as a clear proof: bad things cannot be hidden forever, and those who sow the wind will one day reap the whirlwind.