Ara Mina clings to lover despite daughter’s suffering
Jacqueline “Jack” Manuel’s (Ella Cruz) life gets sidetracked when she gets maltreated and raped by her own stepfather Edgar Laserna (Epi Quizon) and when her mother, Doray Manuel’s (Ara Mina) sides with him this Saturday (June 1) in “Ipaglaban Mo.”
The boyish and rebellious Jack often gets the ire of her family because she seldom helps at home, which causes tension between her and Doray. She gets a spark of hope when Edgar, Doray’s live-in partner, comes into their lives, thinking that she will finally have the father figure she always craved for. But she gets maltreated and raped three times by Edgar. When she tells Doray of her ordeal, Doray sides with Edgar, pushing her to abandon her own home and become a household help.
Jack gets maltreated in the house she serves and decides to leave. She becomes homeless as she looks for work and shelter and eventually becomes involved with shady characters who influence her to do petty crimes. One day, Jack gets challenged to steal cigarettes from a store. Instead of sending her to prison, her arresting officer, SPO4 Marites (Blaine Medina), endorses her to the Department of Social Welfare Development (DSWD), after hearing of Jack’s pitiful plight in the hands of Edgar and her former employers.
With the assistance of the authorities and the DSWD, Jack summons up the courage to finally file her rape case against Edgar. Edgar vehemently denies it and claims that the young girl only did it out of spite towards her mother after she was caught stealing money from her.
Who will the court favor in a situation where the victim is not trusted by her own mother? Will Jack ever get the justice she deserves despite not having parental support in this delicate case?
“Ipaglaban Mo,” the only legal drama on Philippine television, offers viewers entertaining and informative episodes about real-life cases, which they may learn from. It also offers free legal advice to the public every week at ABS-CBN’s Tulong Center in Quezon City.
Don’t miss “Ipaglaban Mo” every Saturday after “It’s Showtime” on ABS-CBN. For updates, follow @abscbnpr on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or visitwww.abscbnpr.com.