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| Photo from Sara Litardo |
Assisted by Marshall Dyosa*, we arrived at the front desk, with a lady officer and two other personnel at the next tables behind. The one seemed to be an officer with rank.
I started retelling some of the story but the front desk officer asked me to write it over this certain confidential form which I believe is a complaint form. I refused. I don’t want anything else to prolong and I don’t want to file any complaint anymore. All I want is just to go home. I know it might be stupid pero ayoko na patagalin pa yung pagstay ko dun sa station so I refused. Then one of the personnel at the back cut in and ask for what happened. He asked me to get seated to one of the table. He then asked me a retelling. He cut me somewhere in the story and said something and raised his voice to me:
OFFICER 1: (Ranting) Ay hindi namin kasalanan yon! Bakit kasi dun nilagay eh alam mo namang…
Ah, okay that’s it. I tried to be patient all the way long. Nag-init ulo ko. I answered back. I cannot contain it anymore. Pinolosopo pa ako.
ME: (Ranting) Teka hindi ko sinabing kasalanan niyo yun! In fact hindi ko na nga hinihiling na maibalik sakin yung mga nawala ah! Ang sinasabi ko, asan yung men in uniform niyo na nakaassign dun sa lugar na yon! (I came there with the issue na why walang men in uniform around, and not why they didn’t protect my bag, everybody’s bag)
Sagutan.
OFFICER 1: (Ranting) Nakacivilian siya. Hindi naman niya responsibilidad na bantayan ang gamit mo ah!
ME: (I stood up. Ranting) Alam ko! Hindi ko naman sinabi yon ah! Teka, wag mo ako sigawan! Nung nasa concierge ako they were able to accomodate me respectfully without raising voice at me! Is that how you handle things here? How impolite of you!
OFFICER 1: (Ranting) Wag mo ako duruin!
ME: (Ranting) No! Ikaw ang nauna! Sinigawan mo ako! Ganyan ba kayo makipag-usap dito? Kahit tanungin mo si Dyosa* hindi ako ginanyan dun sa Concierge!
Natigilan si officer. Ngit-ngit ako. I know I am being impolite too but I tried to be nice at most. I went back to the front desk. This is not part of the plan, but I didn’t like what happened in here. I tried to get back into composure. Pero masama parin ang loob ko dun sa officer. Kapag nagpasindak ako, walang mangyayari sa ipinunta ko dito.
OFFICER 1: (Ranting) Kaya nga pinauupo kita para malaman natin kung ano yung nangyari eh!
ME: (Ranting) No, I am not talking to you! (I faced the front desk) Miss, sino ba yung in-charge dito? May I see your organizational structure?
She didn’t handed it over. I asked her name and she asked me to write over to the form. I refused. I am going to talk to the right person, I thought. I apologized to Dyosa* and to the front desk dahil tumataas na boses ko. Feeling ko nabastos ako eh. Di ko na nacontain.
ME: (Trying to be calm), Pasensya na kayo kung medyo tumaas yung boses ko.
MARSHALL DYOSA*: Medyo mataas nga po sir eh. (He tried to laugh a little)
Comes OFFICER 2. He asked me things. I refused. I wanted to talk to the head of the office. I felt like binastos ako nung isang officer na hindi rin nagpakilala. And besides, I don’t want to give my name to these people. I should get theirs, but they shall not get mine. They will protect their name and their organization, I shall protect myself.
I started asking names of the personnel. The front desk officer is Kuri Kurikapo*, and the personnel in-charge at Terra 28th is Bak Tolentino*.
Comes the personnel in-charge of Terra 28th, Tolentino, along with 2 other personnel. She was obviously not in her uniform in black blouse, black slacks, small body bag, and black shoes. I started asking question. I tried to be calm.
ME: Maam, ikaw yung naka-assign sa Terra 28th? Eh kasi nanakawan ako. Pero wala ako makita na personnel. Dati naman kapag tumatakbo ako, may personnel. Pero ngayon wala ako nakita.
TOLENTINO*: Andun ako sir sa may grupo ng mga lalaking nagpapractice. (Looks at the other personnel)
Ah, so you were watching the group of people while on your duty? I thought.
ME: Ah, eh pano naman malalaman na security personnel ka? Naka-civilian ka?
TOLENTINO*: Part po ng protocol namin yun sir. (Looks at the other personnel)
ME: Ah, hindi ko kasi maintindihan yang protocol na yan eh. Especially in times like these, paano naming malalaman kung sino ang security personnel doon? Ano ba yung protocol na yan?
TOLENTINO*: Ah…Ah… (Looks at the other officer and seemed seeking for help.)
ME: No, don’t ask them. Alam mo dapat yan eh. Part ng training niyo yan diba? Ano ba yung protocol na yon Ma'am?
She cannot answer right away. Out of words. Hindi maipaliwanag yung protocol na parang hindi naman ata talaga protocol yung ganoon in that kind of assignment. Have these people figured out something to cover up with their loose ends with a lame protocol excuse their personnel cannot even explain what in a simplest form? Hindi ba nila nadiscuss yon bago rumisponde dun sa concierge? Baka kasi napag-isipan lang na “ay sabihin mo protocol kaya nakacivilian”.
With Tolentino not being able to answer my question, the OFFICER 1 who I argued with cuts in immediately.
OFFICER 1: Wala kang karapatang kwestiyunin siya o ang protocol namin!
ME: No! Don’t deprive with my right to ask! Karapatan ko din yon! (Although I am not sure. Pero In my mind, they ask, why can’t I? I wanted to check if she is certain and knows what she is talking about, pero it seems like she is not.)
OFFICER 2: Hindi mo concern ang protocol namin at kung sino ipapadala naming doon, civilian man o hindi!
I realized na may point siya at tama naman yon.
One of the officer said kung gusto ko matugunan ng aksyon yun nangyari, I shall undergo their protocol in handling things like this. In my mind, NO. I know it shall follow a certain protocol in filling a complaint. But I know something is not right. And I only wanted to talk to somebody in authority. Nobody gives me a valid proof that I will be talking to head of the office or anybody in authority. Yes, I am being too stubborn. I know. And I am hesitating too to stand my ground. But I still did.
ME: No, I want to talk to who’s in charge.
OFFICER 2: Siya nga ang security manager namin eh (Pertaining to Officer 1)! Kinakausap ka na ayaw mo pa!
OFFICER 1: Wala na tayo dapat pag-usapan dito. Eh ayaw mo naman makipag-usap eh. Sige balik ka na sa post mo Tolentino*!
Tolentino* and other officers left. I was trying to say something kasi I think it is not yet done. But they just let her go away.
I know tumatagal na at humahaba yung usapan. Patigasn ng ulo. Them. Me.
OFFICER 1: (Trying to be calm) Ano ba concern mo?
ME: (Trying to be calm) I will talk to you but DON’T shout at me.
We went to the table. Seated. I know he is gonna play the good cop now. But in movies, it always has a catch.
OFFICER 1: First thing first…What is your concern?
ME: First thing first…What is your name. (I shall get his name. I must.)
OFICER WITH RANK: (States a name)
ME: (I don’t believe. How easy it is to create random names?) Where’s your ID sir?
OFFICER 1: Wala ako dala. Naiwan ko.
ME: Organizational structure na lang.
OFFICER 1: Wala tayo pag-uusapan dito. Ineentertain ka na nga, ang dami mo pang gusto. (Walks-out)
Comes another officer with a certain position too. Started asking me a few questions but I refused to answer.
ME: What do I get if I talk to you? Who’s in authority between you and the security manager?
OFFICER 3: Siya!
ME: Ah so wala naman palang mangyayari. Kung sa kanya nga wala ako nakukuhang matinong sagot eh. (I still don’t believe na siya yung security manager unless they show me a copy of their organizational structure.)
OFFICER 3: Eh wala ka pa ngang tinatanong eh! Ano ba nangyari?
ME: No I won’t talk to any of you kasi kanina pa ako nakikipag-usap dito and nobody gives me what I ask. (Which is the copy of the organizational structure, the names of the officers, the person-in-charge.)
Short silence.
OFFICER 3: Ah kung ganon, alis na tayo dito, wala naman pala mangyayari dito eh.
OFFICER 2: Wag niyo na ientertain yan ah.
They left. The front desk officer talked to me. She said I was pushing my terms too hard. I know that. I get that. I tried to talk back calmly. I told her na I didn’t want it to come this way eh. That all I want is to inform them and ask why. I don’t want to file a complaint to anybody or anything supposedly, but when things got heated up, it turned it the other way around.
Shortly ,the OFFICER 3 went in again. Little arguments.
Then he said, I assaulted an officer end everything is recorded. One of the officers showed the phone underneath the pigeon holes at front desk.
Oh wait what, assaulted? I am not familiar with those other laws and all my provisions. All I know is that, he raised his voice. I raised mine too. He disrespected me, I returned the heat. But I didn’t hit anybody, nor said bad words.
Little more arguments.
I got hopeless. I know nothing is gonna happen here FAIR and JUST.
I went out. They didn’t have my name, but I have some of theirs. Their agency is BEK@INOL*, signed under the Borta Extra Services Corporation*.
- There might be protocols which I could respect and understand, but it seemed to me that they are using it in defense to their lapses. Too shady. Too suspiscious. Seems like just a protection. I know they will say whatever excuse they could tell just to prevent them from lift off in their positions especially the bosses and the one in-charge to Terra 28th. They will protect their own, and that’s for sure.
- It is not their responsibility to protect OUR things as they say, and I recognize that. But I didn’t know why walang men in uniform around which usually dapat meron. In grocery stores, it could be a protocol and I get it. Pero in this kind of place, their visibility could have prevented the bad guys to do their dirty works, but Terra 28th obviously is not a grocery and that provision has considerations.
- Assult to an officer? Di ako nagmura o nampisikal. All things that happened were arguments, exchange of words. I raised my voice, TOO. They shouted at me while I tried to be calm at first. The people in concierge can attest to that. I know I could have contained it, but I lost it at the Security Office. There are 7+ alternating officers around me, I tried to defend myself. I have nobody on my defense.
- I know I won’t get fair treatment at that office in favor to me. In the first place, I never wanted to get into that office. So I tried the best to get their names. I know it could be of use for something.
- I want to know if they are aware of that protocol; or if that protocol really exist in the agreement or whatever arrangement between the BESC* and the BEK@INOL* security agency; or if that protocol is only in discretion by the security agency; OR they are being loose in their duties.
- I know I have no evidences. But they have. They have the convo recorded. I could have recorded the convo too, but I lost my phone obviously, so what do I have left? I hope the recording took the whole of it. It could tell whether there really is an assault; or if there really is an incidence of negligence of duty.
- Marshall Dyosa* and Front Desk Officer Kuri Kurikapo* knows everything that happened in there.
*Nota: Iniba ko ang pangalan ng mga involved para hindi tayo ma-echos. GANUN!
Wakas.
***
Haller ateng!
Naloka ako sa mala-Harry Potter/Twilight series na email mo. Na-appreciate ko ang bawat detalye.
I've been working in BGC since 2013 and I must say na mas safe dito kumpara sa ibang lugar in the metro. I can text here while walking in the street whereas kung nasa Divine o Quiapo ako. May Guardo Verzosa at CCTV pa everywhere. But that doesn't mean na dapat na akong makampante. Ang mga kawatan, nasa paligid lang. Nag-aantay ng tamang pagkakataon. Minsan nga, naka-postura pa at 'di mo aakalaing magna pala. Truts 'yan. KYORKOT!
Dahil sa haba ng sulat mo, iiklian ko na lang ang aking kuda. I've learned two lessons from your experience:
1. Never ever leave my valuable things unattended.
2. Always keep my grace under pressure.
Mahirap gawin 'yung pangalawa pero kung alam ko na mas nangingibabaw ang emosyon ko, I'd rather stop and take a deep breath hanggang sa bumalik ako sa huwisyo.
Salamat muli sa pagbahagi ng iyong kwento. I wish you well and safety all the time.
Nagmamasarap,
Bb. Melanie
1. Never ever leave my valuable things unattended.
2. Always keep my grace under pressure.
Mahirap gawin 'yung pangalawa pero kung alam ko na mas nangingibabaw ang emosyon ko, I'd rather stop and take a deep breath hanggang sa bumalik ako sa huwisyo.
Salamat muli sa pagbahagi ng iyong kwento. I wish you well and safety all the time.
Nagmamasarap,
Bb. Melanie
Clearly, a story of pride and ego. Mas malaki pa rin ang mali mo sa kanila, iniwan mo gamit mo sa tabi-tabi. Hindi kasi masyadong malinaw ang point mo. Sabi mo hindi mo na hangad na maibalik ang mga nawala sayo, pero gusto mo lang malaman kung bakit walang nakabantay na nakauniform na security. Para saan? Kasi at the back of your mind gusto mo na sana kung may nakauniform doon na security sana nabantayan ang mga gamit mo. Deny it or not pero ganun ang labas. Pero ayun nga hindi mo naman pwedeng akusahan na walang security na lumilibot. Malamang, lumilibot o palipat lipat ng lugar yang mga security or hindi mo lang napansin. Madalas kasi ngayon, naka casual clothes talaga ang ibang security kasi ang logic, kung nakauniform sila madali silang maiwasan ng mga kawatan, eh ang goal nga nila eh mabawasan ang mga kawatan, so kailangan hindi rin sila madetect ng mga kawatan at mahuli nila on the spot, mas madali maidentify or mas malaki ng kaunti ang chance na makahuli sila kasi aakalain ng mga kawatan na walang security.
ReplyDeleteSa mga supermarket, uso yang mga nakacasual clothes na security kunyari nagogrocery din na palibot libot. Dito sa supermarket sa min effective, mas madaming nahuhuling shoplifter.
Ang bottom line, natapakan ng pangyayari ang ego mo at malamang lahat naman tayo may pride yung sayo lang siguro mas mataas kaya nagtuloy tuloy ang bulusok mo. Sa likod ng isip mo kailangan hindi ka mapahiya kahit wala ka ng point sige pa rin, hahanap ka ng mali sa kanila para majustify na kahit ikaw ang mali, na may tama ka rin naman.
Yung mga security of course trained yang mga yan. Malalakas ang loob, matapang. Hindi naman siguro maganda kung mahina ang dating ng security eh di di na sila kinatakutan. Kailangan ng authority vibe. May iba na mabait pero matikas pa rin, meron namang mukhang masungit at meron talagang magaspang magsalita. Hindi mo naman sila mahuhubog ang isang tao sa kung anong gusto mong makita o maramdamang pagtrato mula sa kanya. Madalas dapat kung sino ang may kapasidad na magadjust, sya na lang ang magadjust at sa tingin ko, matalino ka namang tao at may kapasidad kang magadjust. Kaya sana nag let it go ka na lang. Nakikita ko rin naman kahit papano ang side mo pero yung pinaglalaban mo about their uniforms etc etc. Halatang wala ka na sa point. Going back sa sinabi ko kanina, subconsciously ayaw mo patalo o mapahiya.
Hindi ako nakikipagaway. Nagcomment lang ako based sa natingin at opinion ko. Nagtrabaho ako sa isang retail, clothing brand bilang assistant manager kaya madalas akong maghandle ng mga customer complaints. Yes, issue to sa security ng BGC pero halos parehas lang din naman customer service din. Peace. :)
Inept and useless security people....too common in this country.
ReplyDeletenope! mas lamang un katangahan un iwan mo un gamit mo at iasa sa ibang tao para bantayan. alangan naman tumayo un guars para lang bantayan un bag mo kasi mag jogging ka?
DeleteLesson learned: Wag ka ng mag-jogging. Mase-stress ka lang. choz.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, sana ateng di ka na lang tumanggi sa pinapasulat kiyeme sa'yo, di na sana humantong pa sa bulyawan eksena. May probability pa na makarating yung complaint mo sa kinauukulan. Yung sinabi mong “I don't want to prolong this”, ang ending humaba pa rin, at worst pa nito eh nawalan din saysay yung pagsadya mo roon.
Parehong may pagkakamali ang dalawang panig. Unahin ko sa mga officers:
You just came there asking for a help, but they treated you wrongly and for me hindi dapat ganun ang pagtrato sa mga taong nangangailangan ng tulong.
Sa'yo naman ateh, your stubbornness did not help you but rather it made made things even worse. Di mo na sana sinabayan pa yung pagtaas ng boses ni kuya. Di naman mamamatay ang apoy kung lalabanan mo ito ng apoy rin di ba. You know what I mean?
I know that it so gasgas na pero yung palagi nating naririnig na "lahat ay madadaan sa mabuting usapan" is very true. Well, sana you learned something from it. I totally agree sa dalawang lesson learned na binanggit ni Bb. Melanie. Yung #1, never ever do that again. Yun ang naging root cause ng problem mo. Yung #2 naman wag mo ring kakalimutan. Grace under pressure ay isang katangian na dapat taglayin ng isang tunay na Beauty Queen. Ganern!
Ha ha galing ng payo Ms. M at saka ung longish comment ni Anonymous 1 at ni Anon Beki .... at dahil jan wala na akong maidudugtong dahil sinabi nyo na lahat hurray sa inyo mga Beki he he galing nyo mag advice huh mga beks pwede nang gawan ng column congrats : lesson na lang of the day : huwag maging alien sa sarili mong lugar at huwag magmaganda , yun na : )
ReplyDeleteito yata un pinaka nakakairitang story na nabasa ko sa blog mo bb. melanie. hahahaha gusto mag reklamo pero ayaw sumunod para pumirma ng simpleng form. kung nababasa mo man ito ateng.. point is katangahan pa din un ginawa mo kasi iiwan mo un gamit mo dahil gusto mo mag jogging! hoping na babantayan ng security guard un bag mo. hahaha alangan naman bantayan nila un gamit mo at tumayo sila dun kasi mag jogging ka? anu ja prinsesa? may sariling guard? tapos mag rereklamo ka dami mo pa arte. un katangahan mo at kaartehan mo wag mo isisi sa ibang tao.. punong ouni ng pride and ego un kuda mo. hahaha
ReplyDeleteI've been on almot the same scenario.
ReplyDeleteKapag nagsulat ka dun sa form, investigations pa yon at pwede ka nga ipatawag nun. You will be on a situation na less ang pabor sayo.
Sasabihin nila, sige aaksyonan namin. Pero in reality, pag-alis mo, pagtatawanan ka lang nga mga yon. The head of the office will just say two-three sentences to his team then back to business na sila. Kapag nakarating to sa admin na naghire sa kanila in a manner na magmumukhang negative ang image nila, of course matatanggal sila sa trabaho. Unless kadikit nila ang management. So malamang wala ka mapapalang aksyon doon. Pagtatakpan at pagtatakpan nila yon hanggat kaya.
Namamasyal-masyal din ako jan sa BGC kasama ang mga kaibigan ko. Marami nga mga gamit na nakaiwan kung saan-saan jan dahil marami nagpapayummy. Malas mo lang teh.
Pero sa susunod wag masyado mainit ang ulo. Base naman sa paraan ng pagsulat mo, mukha namang may utak ka, wag sayangin beh.
Nagtataka ako Bb Melanie pinag aksayahan mo ito ng panahon para sa I share sa blog mo. Walang kwentang istorya.
ReplyDeleteHaba ng kwento walang saysay..ang moral lesson lang naman ay wag shonga shonga....
ReplyDeletekung shonga shonga ka kahit nasa NAIA ka pa puno ng guardiya sibil mananakawan ka...
ang shonga shonga nananakawan...
Hi miss melanie,gawa ka nman ng article about showtime at eat bulaga para malaman ng readers mo yung pulso mo about noontime wars ngayon
ReplyDeleteItong baklang to..me attitude prob..pati un stress nya, pinapasa sa atin...sguro, marami kang kaaway,bakla...ikaw ang me mali..period
ReplyDeletePlease lang wag na patulan yan awayan ng eat bulaga at showtime! at yang network war na yan. ka cheapan!
ReplyDeleteTANGA ANG NAG-IIWAN NG GAMIT KUNG SAAN-SAAN, KAHIT SA BGC PA. Ilang taon ka na bang nabubuhay sa Pilipinas para mag-isip na sa ibang bansa ka nakatira at iwan ang gamit mo kung saan-saan sa paniniwalang walang magnanakaw.
ReplyDelete