At Opol, Misamis Oriental in 1997, two young brothers bond with their parents who are both members of a rebel group. The elder son, Saal, gushes over a toy rifle that his father (Lito Pimentel) made for his younger sibling, Hakeem. Delight is written all over Saal’s face as he asks about joining their group in the upcoming battles. His parents exchange looks of worry.
They are a picture of a small family who loves one another despite the chaos surrounding them. Saal’s father tells him to look after his mom, Yasmin (Irma Adlawan) and Hakeem. The couple engage in a slight argument about their way of living. Yasmin disapproves rebellion and says she wants to raise her children in a peaceful environment. But her husband insists that they still have a war to fight, believing that it is the only way to triumph against inequality. The camera angle widens, showing a more illustrated life in that small village. Women are seen picking vegetables at their own backyards and keeping the households, while the males are armed with rifles and manning the neighborhood.
Later that night, Saal sings Hakeem a lullaby to sleep. A battle between the military and the terror group ignites. Saal fails to stop Hakeem from running towards his father while he and Yasmin hide at a corner.
Saal witnesses his own father die in the skirmish. While the young Hakeem is shown getting caught in an explosion. Saal and Yasmin run away while grieving, thinking that Hakeem has also died in the bloodshed.
A military officer, Dante, takes Hakeem with him. The young boy’s hands flinch, hinting that he is still alive.