Deathrow

Sonny Corpus, a 16-year-old from Manila's slums, teams up with friends Celso, Jimmy, and Rodel to plan a house robbery. During the raid, Celso accidentally shoots and kills the homeowner. As police arrive, Jimmy and Rodel are killed and Sonny freezes while Celso flees.

The police locate Sonny at the scene and arrest him for the incident. He is detained and cross-examined about his role, but the authorities struggle to prove direct murder against him. Ultimately, he is found guilty of murder and sentenced to death row.

Despite his youth, Sonny is convicted of murder and given a death sentence. He is processed into the prison system, where his status as a minor initially complicates his fate but does not change the outcome. The transition marks the start of life on death row.

Sonny enters prison life and struggles to adapt to the brutal hierarchy and constant danger. He grapples with the court's verdict while trying to find a way to survive among seasoned inmates. The environment tests his resolve from the very first days.

Mayor Mio, a powerful inmate, recruits Sonny into a cocaine-smuggling operation within the prison. Sonny hesitantly accepts as a means of protection and influence, though he remains uneasy about the illegal enterprise. The warden Fajardo and Mio's inner circle become aware of the arrangement.

Gabino, Mio's second-in-command, begins secret preparations for a coup against Mio. His plans reveal the dangerous power struggles simmering inside the prison walls, with the warden potentially in on the scheme. The stage is set for further conflict behind bars.

Lolo Sinat, the 77-year-old inmate seen as the most powerful on death row, take Sonny under his wing. He advises Sonny to step away from the drug business and uses his life lessons to guide the boy. A bond forms as Sonny begins to trust the elder inmate.

A high-ranking official visits the prison, prompting Sonny to confess his involvement in the drug scheme. The admission heightens the risk of retaliation from rival factions and deepens Sonny's entanglement in the prison's drug network. The event tests his resolve and loyalty.

Following the confession, Gabino exacts revenge by delivering a severe beating and subjecting Sonny to torture, including rape. The assault leaves Sonny traumatized and further entangles him in the violent prison politics. Lolo Sinat watches with wary concern as power dynamics shift.

Gina, a public attorney who also handles Lolo Sinat's case, begins working on Sonny's appeal. She is initially met with distrust by Sinat, who challenges her, but he eventually opens up about his own past. The unlikely alliance forms as Sonny and Gina prepare for a legal fight.

With guidance from Lolo Sinat, Sonny attempts an escape from the prison, aided by Lukas. The plan is foiled, and they are caught the following day. The failed escape heightens the stakes and tightens the grip of prison authorities.

Gina informs Lolo Sinat that Sonny faces execution in the following week, prompting renewed urgency for the appeal. The news intensifies the pressure on all sides, driving Gina to push harder to overturn the sentence. The clock starts ticking toward the pending date.

Gabino makes a second attempt to rape Sonny, but Sonny fights back using a bread knife and kills him. Lolo Sinat helps cover up the killing to protect Sonny, recognizing the dangerous consequences if the truth comes out. The incident marks a pivotal turning point in Sonny's case.

Before being taken to the lethal injection chamber, Lolo Sinat gives Sonny his old Walkman as a symbol of trust and guidance. The gesture underscores the bond formed between the boy and the aging inmate. Sonny clings to the gift as the old man faces his own fate.

Weeks after the brutal events, Gina's appeal on Sonny's behalf succeeds, overturning the death sentence. Celso is found and brought to justice for the original robbery, allowing Sonny to walk free from prison. The ending resolves the immediate threat to Sonny's life, though the scars remain.