Netizen Shares Taxi Holdup Story Online
Making rounds on Facebook is the story of a netizen who got on a taxi midnight of August 9, 2014 and got into a grim holdup situation.
Here’s how the story goes.
I was in a taxi hold-up incident a week ago, involving three men who took my cell phone, cash and cards. I was taken and driven around Metro Manila from Makati to Fairview, while they threatened and intimidated me.
People have offered to help me go after the criminals, but right now I don’t have the energy for it. I’ve used a lot of energy and strength to stay focused and survive that cab ride, so now I’m easily tired. At times, drained. I’m also very frustrated with the state of public safety in the Philippines.
I am unharmed, but in trauma. I’m scared of long drives, dark roads, cabs. I’ve been functioning and working, but jumpy and anxious. The emotions took a while to sink in (never cried in the cab). I’m doing counseling, and I hope to recover in time. I’ve also been needing shawls and jackets because those give me a sense of security. I’m very thankful to family and friends who have been supporting me. If you want to help me, please pray for me.
If sharing among your family and friends, please cut and paste on your wall. I prefer to be anonymous since they have my identification.
The story continues with an incident report.
INCIDENT REPORT:
I hailed a taxi in Chino Roces Avenue (Pasong Tamo), Makati, past 12 midnight of Aug. 9, 2014. I instructed the driver to take me to Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, via Gil Puyat Avenue (Buendia).
He drove through Chino Roces to Gil Puyat Avenue (Buendia), but turned left on Malugay Street. Sensing something was wrong, I asked him to take Jupiter. Then he declared, “hold up ’to, huwag kang sisigaw,” while were along Centro Escolar University. Two other men got inside the taxi; one sat beside me at the backseat and placed his arms around me, the other one sat beside the driver.
I screamed and scrambled, trying to get out. Someone shouted: “Huwag kang sumigaw. Makisama ka lang, walang mangyayari sa ‘yo.” (Don’t shout. Just don’t make a scene and we won’t harm you.)
The man in the front seat immediately got my bag and took all my cash, cards and cell phone. We drove around, and the man in front got off what I could recall might be Roxas Boulevard.
The man at the back had his arms around me all the time, commanding me to keep my eyes down at all times. He told me that if anyone sensed something, say, we pass by a checkpoint, I should tell people that he is my boyfriend.
We drove around while they coordinated with a man who withdrew money from using my ATM cards. (Investigation says withdrawals were made in PSBank Greenfield City branch.) I gave them all the pin numbers. They threatened and intimidated me, saying:
“Makisama ka lang, walang mangyayari sa ’yo.” (Don’t make a scene and we won’t harm you.)
“Marunong ka ba mag-drive? Kinarnap lang naming ’to, hindi ko nga alam kung buhay pa ’yong driver sa likod.” (Do you know how to drive? We just stole this car, I’m not even sure if the driver at the trunk is still alive.)
“Ma’am maraming salamat sa tulong ninyo. Huwag ka ng manghinayang. Pera lang naman ’yan, kikitain mo rin ’yan, stable naman yata trabaho mo.” (Ma’am, thanks for your help. You don’t have to regret this. It’s just money, you’ll be able to earn it again because it seems you have a stable job.)
“Papababain ka namin, pero ’wag kang sisigaw, tatakbo o magsusumbong, mababaril ka.” (We will let you go but don’t shout, run or fink, or we will shoot you.)
“Mababait naman kami, kailangan lang talaga namin. Pero siyempre bago kami masaktan, ikaw muna.” (We’re really nice people, we just need the money. But before we get hurt, we will hurt you first.)
After over an hour of driving and threatening, they released me around 2 a.m., near SM Fairview. I got off the cab, held by the man seated beside me. We were met by another man (who might have been trailing us from another vehicle, and might also be the man who did the withdrawal). He gave me money for fare after I got off the cab.
The other man, still with his arms around me, hailed an Alabang bus, and asked me to board it. Another guy got in and sat at the back, he got off Shaw Boulevard.
I got back to Makati around 3 a.m., shaken but thankful to be alive.
I have reported the incident to Makati Police afternoon of Aug. 9, and the case is under investigation. I’ve identified the taxi as Dean Taxi ETC818, but it has no hit in the LTO according to the police investigator handling the case.
Please spread the word to create awareness.
Be careful on the road.
Has anything similar happened to you?
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Netizen Shares Taxi Holdup Story Online
