When In Manila, a lot of us may already have trust issues because of the numerous scams going around! Every now and then we hear of new stories of people who were tricked into giving money, personal info or the like.
Just recently, James Deakin shared his personal encounter with a bleeding foreigner who seemingly needed help. Please make sure to read to the end to get the full story.
So I went out and tried my new mountain bike today. I did my regular route from Paranaque to Intramuros and back. Somewhere around Boom na Boom (near the World Trade Center) there was a foreigner on the sidewalk leaning against the fence. He looked distressed and politely signaled me to stop as I approached.
He asked if I speak English. When I said yes, he was extremely relived and asked for help. I noticed he was bleeding from the head. Not profusely, but obviously a fresh wound. He also had blood on his neck and clothes. I asked him what he needed and he simply asked for directions to Libis. On foot.
He told me that he had just been attacked and robbed by some street children who were asking for money and that they smashed a bottle over his head when he was reaching for some change. I explained that it was borderline impossible to walk from Manila to Libis in his condition (he also had a cut on his foot) and asked if he had any friends or relatives I could call. He said he was a tourist and that they took everything from him, including his phone to call the landlord he was renting from. So no, there was no one to call. At least none that he had the number of.
I would have offered him money, but as I was on a bike ride, I didn’t bring my wallet. Besides which, he never once hinted or suggested it. He just kept asking for a sketch to get to Libis. So there we stood. Me trying to figure out a way how to help this guy get home and he, well, desperate. I thought of Uber but I had just reported my credit card lost yesterday so it was cancelled. And you can’t use the app without it.
So I called Lifeline Ambulance Rescue, Inc. driver on call service.
I explained the situation and without hesitation, they dispatched one of their first responders to treat his wounds and drive this guy home to Libis from Manila absolutely free of charge. No questions asked.
I guess I’ll never know if it was a scam or if it was completely legit, but all I know is that I’m terribly proud to be associated with such a compassionate company that have always been there when I needed them. Not only do they continue to power the Driver on Call service that has saved countless lives by preventing drunk driving, but they were also the biggest supporter of Oplan Hatid and every single initiative I have suggested.
Life is precious. And while these types of things may not happen very often, it’s always comforting to know that when your life is on the line, there’s someone to call that puts that above everything else.
Some commenters, feeling this whole thing was a scam, shared thier experiences with a similar looking man. Others, trying to see a brighter side of the story even suggested it might be a social experiment.
**UPDATE
Unfortunately, James later on found out how this whole ordeal was nothing more than a scam.Â
Friends, I’m sorry, but I was scammed. Earlier, I posted a story about a foreigner in distress that I stopped and helped, but it it turns out that he has done this to countless people. I’ll post the back story in the comments box, but basically, he said he needed help after being robbed and beaten up, and Lifeline sent a rapid response unit to take him home but he fled the scene. Considering that these guys are on standby for emergencies, any false alarms can actually cost someone else their life. And this makes me really, really mad.
I told this guy I would be calling an emergency service. He got that. We talked for almost an hour. I only left because it was getting dark and I had no lights or reflectors on my bike. then he ran. This guy is a total scammer and should be reported to the police and the bureau of immigration. Too many positive IDs on this guy using the same MO. Good thing I was trying out my new Goggle cam otherwise I would have never had the video or screen grab.
I wouldn’t normally ask because I find it cheesy to do so, but I’ll make an exception here. Please, please share this photo so that this scammer gets deported. We have enough of them over here.
You can watch a video of James’ encounter through his Facebook page HERE.
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Despite this whole thing being nothing more than a scam, we commend James for his quick action and kindness to help out a stranger in need. We definitely need more people like James in the country.
As for the scammer, we hope he gets caught soon. We just hate it when people take advantage of others kindness. Please make sure to share this to your family and friends so that this culprit could be caught. Remember to always be extra vigilant!
