Saturday night, May 22, 2010. I woke up at 7PM after a whole day of sleep. It's my off, so I'm very much excited on the line-up of activities that I can do later that evening.
About an hour or so later, I was on my way to Northgate, Alabang, to distribute some jerseys for my teammates Cedie, Hannibal and a possible teammate John Paul. Then I went on my way to the funeral wake of my friend Jonette's grandma at Rizal Memorial in Pasay. There I met up with Dave, Rona, and Rizi.
By 1AM, I told them I have to go to Jacquou's (another friend) place to meet up with them coz I promised I'll go there this weekend. Having conflicts and confusion with my best friend Dave, I still pursued to go there.
I arrived at Makati at 1:25-1:30AM. I found Jacquou along with Jade, Daniela, Kuya Butch, Kune, and Joms.
We shared some stories, what's happening with our other friends, the chit-chats, and all that.
By 3AM, I told them I'll be leaving before sunrise at 4AM so the trip will not be that hard, considering it's Sunday and passing through Baclaran on a Sunday is like "pila sa Wowowee".
I left at 4AM, took a jeep to LRT Buendia. At the LRT Station, I took another jeep on the way to Baclaran (my usual route going home - Baclaran - Zapote - Jollibee Molino - Gardenia, our village). Somewhere in the middle of the trip, I dozed off with my headset plugged in my ears. When I woke up, the driver was saying to the now two of us remaining passengers, "Hanggang dito na lang po". So we both went down.
I walked towards the last LRT Station area, where at the end you will find all the jeeps going to Cavite/Sucat. I tried to take my strides carefully as we all know, Baclaran's putik is like so "ITIM" and so "MABAHO" if they get into your feet or even clothes. One unavoidable part of the road, was really drenched in the said putik, so I told myself, I'll just wipe it out, which I did after getting a tissue from my clutch bag. Upon lowering my head to closely look at my foot, I noticed the co-passenger I have was already walking very fast ahead of me. So I'm kinda left alone on that part of the road.
Then two "drunk" manongs showed up from the side and walked past me, one of them was really acting very drunk that he cannot walk straight and was leaning on his companion to help him walk.
I told myself, in my very natural attitude, "Ano ba naman yan, iinom hindi kayang i-contain, di ka tuloy makalakad ng straight." I advanced over them as I walked, on my peripheral vision, I saw the other guy leaned over his buddy like in a piggyback position.
Then, as I was way past them (my headset still in my ears), I just felt a HUGE WEIGHT over my shoulders, then thinking fast, I realized it's the "Drunk" Guy trying to ride on my back. I was still able to put down my right-ear-side headset, then commented on him, "Oh, Kuya, Lasing ka!". My clutch bag dropped. Then, the rumble started. His whole weight was pushed into me. My hands are tied by his arms over my chest. My mouth was cupped by his hands. My neck strangled by his arms going from my chest upwards.
I was LITERALLY BEING DRAGGED like a 5'10 1/2" mannequin to the side of the road.
For the freaky part, I WAS WEARING WHITE LONG SLEEVED SHIRT for CRYING OUT LOUD!!! I was telling myself, "Lasing lang to, pero potah, nakaputi ako eh! Tapos nakahiga ako dito sa kalsada".
At one part, I remember I was trying to ask help from the companion of the "pretending drunk guy" , pero it turned that he was playing a "lookout" and he assisted the Drunk guy drag me to the side of the street.
At first, I was shocked on what's the intention, "Lakas ng trip ah?!" - what I was thinking. Then it came down to me, after a series of punches on my chest and my face, they're trying to knock me down. I got all the guts to pull his hand from my mouth and said, "Kuya wag, anu to?! BAKET???!" Then, it all became clear to me - HOLD-UP. He said, "Ibigay mo na!" Then, I remembered, shit, my 1-week old Samsung Star WiFi's on my pocket, connected to the headset where I'm listening to.
The "lookout" guy then did the robbing on my right-side pocket, trying to get the phone, the "drunk" guy was still holding me, punching me here and there, with some elbow thrusts over my nose, because I was trying to let go. I thought I was going to die in there.
When I realized my pocket was free of my phone, I panicked. I told myself, "POOCHA KAYO, BAGO LANG YANG PHONE KO, ISANG LINGGO PA LANG YAN SAKIN, PUNYETA KAYO!". When they stood and acted on escaping already, I didn't care about my bruises or if I was bleeding, I literally SHOUTED and ASKED for help like a very helpless someone. I found my bag still in the same spot where I dropped it. Good thing the hold-uppers didn't get that, there is my sister's PSP and my wallet which holds all important cards.
I didn't expect that when you're alone in a situation like that, no matter how strong you think you are, you will cry. I cried. I wailed at the sleeping vendors on the sidewalk, trying to wake them up to get attention. A girl, of around age 5-7, saw everything that happened. One old lady woke up and saw the escaping hold-uppers. A male vendor woke up but acted like he doesn''t want his sleep to be disturbed.
Thinking to myself that I was already bruised, bleeding, hey, what the hell?! I pursued over the two devils. I was shouting at them to give back my phone, I'll give them all my money. I was honestly shouting at them that "YUNG CONTACTS KO JAN KUYA MAHALAGA, IBALIK NIYO NA!". Then they tried to zigzag their way to the different stalls, but I'm not stupid, I was able to catch up on them, but to my surprise, a fast elbow thrust darkened my vision and they were off to vanish.
I was pleading for the spectators to help me. But no one dared. There were two girls who came running to my side and said, "Kuya, dumudugo yung mukha mo". That's when I realized how bloody my mouth is, my chin was dropping blood from my face. I then felt the pain, all those punches, struggles, made me realize how helpless I became back there.
Just in time, a roaming barangay multicab went by. I rode it and we went to the Cuneta Street where we really think the thieves passed by. We got past a barbecue vendor whom, when asked by the tanods, said, "Wala po. Wala po akong alam jan" even if I was telling him I'll never involve him, just point us to a direction - which evidently seems like he just don't want to get involved. COWARD. I thought to myself.
Then we saw a woman on the other side of the street fanning herself while enjoying the cool 4:30AM breeze. The tanods asked her the same question. She was hesitant for a moment, but when I interrupted the questioning and showed the lady my turned-out face after the robbery, she gave us an eyebrow lift which indicated she indeed saw two guys pass by.
We drove then all the way to the end of the street, hoping to still catch up on the thieves. But of course, it is expected. They're gone.
I went back to the Sto. Niño Village of Baclaran to file a complaint to the Brgy. Hall. To my surprise, NO TANODS are on the Hall and it's CLOSED. I was lucky to be found by a passing lady called Salo who helped me all the way to from filing a Police report, blottering, to letting me insert my Globe Sim to contact my friends and family.
I filed the police report at 5:15AM. We also filed a report to the Brgy. Hall of Sto. Niño after we waited for it to open.
We waited there until my parents picked me up to bring me to the hospital.
I got my medico legal at the Pasay City General Hospital at between 7-8AM.
Rona and Jev went there too and we were all teary-eyed when we saw each other.
I'll never ever forget this traumatic experience which IRRITATES me to the point that I THINK I WILL DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS IN THE FUTURE.
----------Robb----------
