The midday sun bore down on the chaos of EDSA. Traffic was heavy, horns blared nonstop, and the heat shimmered off the asphalt. Patrolman Jahmal Dela Torres sat inside his mobile patrol car, scanning the road with sharp eyes. A black SUV weaving aggressively through traffic caught his attention.
Radio Dispatcher (over comms)
"Unit 03, be advised. Black SUV, plate number ZDK-7763. Suspected of transporting narcotics. Proceed with caution."
"Got you."
He turned the key, engine roaring to life, and began tailing the vehicle.
The SUV sped up, ignoring red lights and nearly clipping other cars.
"This is Patrolman Dela Torres. In pursuit of black SUV, suspect is armed and dangerous. Requesting backup at EDSA northbound, approaching Cubao."
"Copy that, 03. Units en route."
The chase intensified. Jahm's focus narrowed. The suspect's car screeched to a halt in Cubao.
"Here we go."
Five men jumped out. Two immediately pulled guns.
Jahm (taking cover behind door)
"Drop your weapons!"
Gunfire erupted.
"sigh, what do they want war? it would have been easier if they just gave up"
Jahm returned fire—precise and efficient. One suspect was hit in the shoulder, another in the leg. The third froze, dropped his weapon, and raised his hands.
"Down on the ground. Hands where I can see them!"
As Jahm moved in to cuff him, the man lunged for a pistol nearby.
"Don't even think about it!"
He slammed the suspect's hand with his firearm, disarming him instantly.
One suspect bolted into the crowd.
Jahm didn't hesitate.
"Secure the scene! I'm going after the last one!"
He gave chase—darting through the sea of pedestrians. The fleeing man was fast and agile, throwing trash cans, shoving people aside. The two collided in the middle of the road, fists flying.
"Do you think you can handle me? You're just a worthless cop in society."
"You talk too much, why don't you just try?"
After an intense brawl, Jahm delivered a final blow to the suspect's ribs, pinning him to the ground.
"You're done and You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be provided for you."
"You will also have your day, worthless and arrogant police."
Authorities later confirmed several kilos of drugs in the SUV, along with firearms and burner phones linked to a syndicate.
But Jahm just chalked it up as another day.
[Two Days Later – NICA Headquarters]
Inside a sleek, air-conditioned conference room, Jahm stood in front of Director Bruce Estrella.
Director Estrella (leaning back, impressed)
"You didn't wait for orders. No hesitation. You moved like you've been doing this for years."
"I followed my instinct, sir."
"Exactly why I want you. Not as a patrolman… but as an agent."
He slid a black card across the desk.
"NICA. We operate in the shadows. No uniforms, no sirens. Just results."
"That's not what I signed up for. I became a cop to protect people, not to disappear into some secret mission."
"And yet, you ran straight into gunfire for strangers. You didn't hesitate."
"I do what's right. That's it."
"If you ever change your mind, you know where to find me."
That Evening – News Report]
The television flickered inside a crowded karinderya. Locals gathered, eyes fixed on the screen as a reporter stood in front of flashing police lights.
News Reporter (on screen)
"In a dramatic daylight shootout along EDSA, a police patrolman single-handedly intercepted a drug syndicate believed to be part of a larger criminal network. Authorities recovered high-caliber firearms, burner phones, and multiple kilos of illegal narcotics. But what shocked everyone was the courage of one man."
The screen shifted to shaky phone footage taken by a bystander—Jahm chasing the last suspect, exchanging punches in the middle of the road.
Reporter (voiceover)
"That man is Patrolman Jahmal Dela Torres. Witnesses say he acted without hesitation—pursuing the suspects even when outnumbered and without backup."
Cut to a short interview with a street vendor.
Street Vendor
"His bravery is incredible.He didn't back down. Like an action movie, but real!"
Reporter (on screen)
"Social media has begun calling him The Brave Patrolman. But when asked for a statement, Jahmal Dela Torres only said—"
"I was just doing my job."
[Back at NICA Headquarters – Watching the News]
Director Estrella watched the broadcast quietly from his office. He smirked, remote in hand.
Estrella (to himself)
"You won't be just a patrolman for long."
[Back at NICA Headquarters – Watching the News]
Director Estrella watched the evening news from his office, the screen showing footage of Jahm subduing suspects in Cubao. The anchor praised the bravery of a lone patrolman who risked his life in a high-stakes operation.
Estrella smirked, remote in hand.
"You won't be just a patrolman for long."
He turned to one of his trusted agents, standing at the door.
"Send someone to Pasig. Find Patrolman Dela Torres. Talk to him—discreetly. I want to see how he reacts."
"What should we tell him, sir?"
"Nothing about NICA yet. Just observe. And if the timing feels right… make him an offer."
[A Few Days Later – Pasig Police Precinct]
Jahm was wrapping up his patrol reports when an unfamiliar man in a collared shirt walked into the station, asking for him.
"Jahm, someone's looking for you. Says it's about... a new opportunity."
Jahm walked out to the lobby and saw the man standing with a neutral expression, holding a brown envelope.
"Patrolman Dela Torres? Mind if we talk?"
They stepped outside, away from the crowd.
"There's a division looking for people like you. Discreet. Elite. You'll be trained for high-level operations—local and international."
"And who exactly are you with?"
"in an agent organization called NICA"
"Thanks, but no thanks. I became a cop for a reason, and I'm still needed here."
"Fair enough. If you change your mind…"
"but thank you again but my mind really won't change, sorry"
"take this just in case,Thank you"
He handed over a small card with nothing but a secure contact number.
[One Week Later – Pasig]
It was a quiet afternoon. Jahm was sipping water beside his patrol vehicle when a familiar black SUV pulled up beside him. The window rolled down.
"You're still out here. Chasing corner runners while the real monsters hide in glass towers."
"What else is the problem, sir?"
"Nothing, I just wanted to talk to you. By the way, I am Director Estrella from NICA."
"NICA, I think I've heard that before."
"It's possible that you've already heard that."
"Ah, I know the other day the man who came to our office introduced himself as being from the NICA organization. What is your real purpose with me?"
"I'll be straightforward with you, patrolman. I want you to become an agent."
"but sir, I already refused one of your men, if he is indeed your man, that I will never change my mind because I am needed here in my role as a police officer"
"You are indeed a brave and honest police officer, but there is something even greater you need to do for our country as well as for other countries."
"but sir, I really won't accept your offer for me"
"I might give you something in case it changes your mind."He handed Jahm a thick folder.
"What is this, sir?"
"Just open it."
"What is this, a mayor in Mindanao and they have brought so much drugs into the Philippines?"
"You're right, that mayor is also one of the most powerful drug lords in the country."
"Sigh, those who abuse power and people are really terrible, that's why he was voted by the people to help them and humiliate such people."
"so I hope you accept my offer if you really want to punish those kinds of people in our country or in other countries"
"Okay, fine, but I hope you promise me that nothing bad will happen to my family either."
"Okay, I promise you that, patrolman. Just go to the NICA headquarters, come by in a day, take a rest first, and I'll also give my summons to your captain"
And that's where it all began.
The story of a former street cop…
Now known only as Agent Jahm.