Entitled to Judge and Kill — A Theatrical Decoding of EJK History

Featured by: Mari Daphne J. Medel

When confronted with conflict, who must we trust? A teacher, a mother, or a police officer?

Staged within the four walls of the Multipurpose Room at the Tan Yan Kee building, Teatro Tomasino held their 48th Batch Apprentice showcase, entitled “Punk’s Not Dead,” on March 10, 2026.

Written by Andrew Bonifacio L. Clete and Directed by Sean Paolo Velarde, this theatre play tackles a relevant time in history that has affected many Filipinos — the Drug War carried out by former President Rodrigo Duterte.

From the moment spectators stepped inside the venue, the ambient music and lighting of the set was impressive because of how immersive it was. The dimmed lighting sets a mysterious beginning of a story, with the accompanying music suggesting an eerie atmosphere. At the very start of the play, it was established that the story was set during the extrajudicial killings that occurred in the Philippines. With only a month of preparations, the whole team was able to execute a stellar performance.

Photo taken by Gayle Comia

Ms. Apple, a school teacher, saw a notification on her phone and whined “EJK na naman?” with exasperation.

“Positive vibes only!” Ms. Apple exclaimed. To calm her nerves, she started playing punk rock music as she cleaned the classroom.

It is valuable to take note how punk rock music plays a recurring and significant role in the overall plot and direction of the story. The culture of punk rock music is a very niche and unique experience, which not everyone may understand, as it can seem unusual for some.

Later, a mother named Bireng entered the room to submit her child’s assignments. She then raised a complaint with one of the module items.

“Ang pagkakatattoo ay ang simbolo ng pagiging kriminal,” Bireng angrily shared to Ms. Apple. She ordered for the module to be changed because the answer is not true at all. Having a tattoo does not immediately mean a person is a criminal.

Photo taken by Gayle Comia

As a mother, she could not bear to think that her own child would see her as a criminal. This scene sets a tone in which a trivial matter for others can still substantially affect a person’s life.

The inspiration for Director Sean’s vision of the play was Kian Delos Santos, one of the victims of the extrajudicial killings.

“Actually nung binabasa ko yung script, ang una ‘kong naisip ay si Kian Delos Santos. Pag usapan EJK, siya talaga una ‘kong naiisip, so talagang buong time na nagisip ako ng vision ko, siya yung iniisip ko pati yung mga biktima ng EJK.”

One notable plot twist in the story would be when a police officer named Arthur stepped into the scene. At first, he is seen as a remarkable guardian and a responsible parent. His status as a police officer made Ms. Apple and Bireng become wary of his presence.

The principle of the module item was highlighted in their conversation, in which Arthur agreed to the statement. A rebuttal was then made by Bireng, who stated that all police officers kill without legal basis. The same logic was applied to him: if not all police officers actually kill, what about the people with tattoos who are said to be criminals?

Not long after, it was revealed that the policeman was not who he seemed to be. It was disclosed that he had an abusive way of disciplining his child. Arthur took pride in being someone of power, and he had no shame in bragging and flaunting over that fact.

Photo taken by Gayle Comia

The conversation between the three of them led to a misunderstanding, with the officer falsely claiming that drugs were hidden somewhere in the classroom. Ms. Apple and Bireng only spoke the truth saying that they had no drugs on them.

Amidst the commotion, Ms. Apple willingly showed that she had no drugs on her, which led to Bireng spotting that they had the same tattoo. Apparently both Bireng and Ms. Apple are fans of punk rock music, Punk’s Not Dead. Both of their tattoos have the same design, as they are both fans of the music genre.

When Bireng asked Ms. Apple why she didn’t reveal that she had the same tattoo as her, she replied with “Ano ang iisipin ng iba? Teacher na may tattoo…” Which strengthens the implication of how punk rock music culture, or even having a tattoo, is seen differently in society as it is not the norm.

Once they discovered their shared love of music, Ms. Apple started playing punk rock music from her phone as a way of camaraderie, until both of them were angrily interrupted yet again by Arthur. Ms. Apple and Bireng could not take his behavior anymore.

The officer continued to search the room. Police sirens were heard. Chaos ensued. The teacher and mother are angry at the police officer, urging him to clean the mess he had done by ransacking the place.

It led to the point where Arthur pointed his gun at Ms. Apple and Bireng. Instilling fear and power in the room, he pulled the trigger 2 times.

First to Ms. Apple, and then next, to the scared and shaken Bireng.

After shooting them both, he tampered with their dead bodies and also their personal belongings by adding drugs to the vicinity.

He then reported his findings and twisted the truth by saying that there is a syndicate of criminals, called Punk’s Not Dead.

Photo taken by Gayle Comia

When confronted with conflict, who must we trust?

While portrayed through a theater show, Punk’s Not Dead is a call to reality. There are still people out there crying for help and for justice to be served. Voices were silenced, and lives were taken too soon. Must history be ignored? Or must we unmask the truth and learn to realize the relevance of one’s actions?

“…Madaming taong nahirapan, madaming taong nawalan ng boses, madaming taong nawalan ng privilege to do something kasi may mga nasa power na hindi maayos o ginagamit ng power nila to abuse things, to abuse people.” Director Sean added.

The play ended on a tragic note displaying what EJK truly was, but there is still hope. Everyone’s justice key is to choose our leaders wisely. People must select responsible individuals who will serve with purpose and help those in need.

Photo taken by Gayle Comia

In an interview with Director Sean, he expressed that even with the story’s political nature, he hoped that the audience would get the message of voting wisely and choosing our government leaders with care.

“…Actually natatakot ako na gawin siyang sobrang political kasi nandito tayo sa UST, pero sabi ko, hindi. Tatapangan ko ‘to kasi paano maabot ang message eh? So gusto ko talagang maparating sa audience na eto yung nangyayari sa bansa natin, bumoto tayo nang maayos.”

Heavily inspired by real-life events, this theatre production showcases the truth one must be aware of. A lesson to remember from history. Punk’s Not Dead was truly well-written and well-executed, urging people to stay accountable and be certain to stand up for what is right.