A netizen sent us a story of an alleged “budol-budol” experience while walking to Glorietta from Ayala MRT station.
The said netizen wanted to be kept anonymous but the story goes:
Last Saturday, I was walking to Glorietta from the Ayala MRT station. I was listening to my music playlist on my phone, and I did not immediately hear someone talking to me. I felt, rather than heard it, when I was stopped by a Caucasian-looking old man in SM Makati, who claimed that he cannot find his tour guide. I offered to text his guide for him, but then he suddenly changed his story and says he needs to buy toys for the children he is visiting on an “island”.
At this point, alarm bells were already going off inside my head. He started to lead me by the arm into the nearby toy section of the department store, talking all the while about his many businesses in his country. I was extra suspicious, especially as he claimed to be an Australian but did not have an Aussie accent.
Once inside the department store, he took care to place us in between high shelves with no salespersons about. He then took out a folded leaflet of a resort in boracay and inside it was a note that broke down our currency into different denominations. He said he wanted to see our money for himself, “is it different from the dollar?” I remember him asking.
At this point I decided to leave. This was not a senile old man who needed help. He was about to scam me. I told him loudly that I had to leave and that if he needed help with the Philippine money, he could go to the department store cashier.
It was after I left the guy that I felt disoriented. It was as if I could not find the exit of the department store. When I did find the exit, I took out my baby wipes and used it on the arm that he kept touching. It was then that I felt a lot better. I also stopped at a restroom and washed my face. Whatever it was he used on me lost its effect.
I put on my earphones again and continued listening to the same song before I was interrupted. The song by the way, was Jesus Take the Wheel by Carrie Underwood. I guess it helped protect me from anything bad that might have happened.
To describe the guy: slight build, late 50s early 60s, Caucasian skin, blue eyes, receding hairline.
Has anyone seen the guy described here? Or has anyone experienced the same thing? What did you do?
