A former inmate made sure that the second chance he received upon release in prison was worth it after finishing college with a degree in Criminology.
Josef Von Clyde Ventic was detained in June 2020 due to a drug-related case. Fortunately, he was released through a plea bargaining in 2021.
Clyde immediately enrolled at the Valencia Colleges (Bukidnon) Inc.
“Pinili ko pong kurso ay ‘yung criminology po kasi para makabawi din po sa dignity ko sa ibang tao. Kasi negative ‘yung pagtingin nila sa akin. ‘Pag tinitingnan mo kasi ‘yung mga men in uniform, parang tumataas ‘yung respeto. Kasi nawala na po ‘yung mga respeto ng mga tao sa akin kaya gusto ko po makuha ‘yung respeto nila na inaasam ko lang,” he told The Philippine STAR.
Clyde recalled how he ended up in prison. He said he just graduated from senior high school when he was arrested in a buy bust operation last June 6, 2020.
“Twenty years old po ako nung naaresto po ako. Sa tindahan namin. Nakaupo lang po talaga po sa tindahan tapos may dumating po na mga pulis,” he said.
It was hard for his family to accept what happened to him because his father was a then-inmate too before passing away.
“Kasi nung two years old pa lang ako, nakulong din po ‘yung tatay ko na drugs din po ang kaso. Bale, 12 years po siya sa kulungan. Tapos pagkalaya niya po, second year high school na ako. ‘Yung mama ko lang talaga ‘yung kasama ko palagi. 2014, lumaya siya. Pagka-2016, pumanaw na din po siya,” he shared.
Adding, “Na-disappoint po sila kasi mataas kasi ‘yung expectation nila sa akin. Tapos ganoon lang ang mangyayari. ‘Yung pagtingin nila sa akin is katulad din ako ng tatay ko. Sabi ko sa kanila, darating din ang araw na masasabi ko sa sarili ko na hindi talaga ako katulad ng tatay ko.”
Since he was convicted in the middle of the pandemic, it was extra hard for him and his family to visit and communicate.
But he did not lose hope that someday, he will be released and will start a new life.
“Hopeful lang talaga na baka dumating ‘yung araw na makakalaya rin. Kasi napakahirap kasi ng sitwasyon sa mga kaso noong COVID pandemic kasi halos postponed kasi may pandemya,” he said.
“Hindi sila makadalaw. Bale, isang taon po hindi po kami nagkita ng family ko po. Walang kontak sa pamilya, tapos marami pang iniisip sa labas kung kumusta na ba ‘yung pamilya ko. Halos isang taon din ‘yun eh kaya napag-isipan ko talaga na pagkalabas ko, maging proud na ‘yung pamilya ko sa akin, kasi na-disappoint po sila sa nangyari sa akin, na naaresto ako. ‘Yun po ‘yung inspiration ko na mag-aaral talaga pagkalabas,” he added.
Clyde was released on May 28, 2021. He did not think twice about continuing his studies.
“Pagkalabas ko po, ‘yung pamilya masaya po sila. Tapos mataas na ‘yung expectation nila na magbagong buhay ako. May ako lumaya, tapos June kasi ‘yung enrollment. Nag-apply na rin po, agad-agad. Hindi ko po sinabi sa kanila [classmates] hanggang third year na lang po nila nalaman na galing pala ako ng kulungan. Kasi ayaw ko, kasi ‘pag nalaman nila, alam ko naman naiju-judge nila ako. Sinikreto ko na lang,” he noted.
As he tried to rebuild his life, he ignored the discrimination he received from the public.
“Meron pa nga pong kasama ko sa work, hindi siya pinapasok ng nanay niya kasi nalaman ng nanay niya na galing akong kulungan kaya pinatigil niya ‘yung anak niya. Medyo nahihiya din po ako kasi marami po ‘yung nagcha-chat sa akin. Meron ding positive, may negative rin. Maraming negative ‘yung nag-comment. Kaya medyo na-trauma din ako eh,” he emotionally narrated.
Despite hardships, Clyde believes that he will see the light at the end of the tunnel.
“Iniisip ko lang po talaga na, hindi porket gano’n ‘yung nangyari sa akin, gano’n na lang.Darating din ang araw na magbabago ‘yung tao. Change is the only permanent thing talaga in the world. Magbabago at magbabago,” he stressed.
