Tandem

Exactly a month ago, an unthinkable happened to me. I wrote this the day after it happened to me. Hayaan niyong ibahagi ko...

***

Friday, the 13th of March 2020
Between 3:05 and 3:07 a.m.

Photo courtesy of Rappler

Galing sa trabaho at naglalakad sa aming lugar pauwi ng bahay nang dalawang lalaki sakay ng motorsiklo na may suot na surgical mask ang huminto sa gilid ng daan. Bumaba 'yung nasa likod...

"Magtatanong lang po. Saan ba ang Caloocan?"

I was suspicious already that they were riding in tandem when suddenly he declared holdup. Napatili ako sa takot. I wanted to run on the other side pero nakarinig ako ng putok ng baril. Natumba ako sa daan.

"Eto na po, sa inyo na ang bag ko." sabay hubad ng backpack.

"Cellphone mo?" habang kinakapkap ang bulsa ko.

"Nandiyan na po lahat sa bag."

Tumayo ako at nagtatakbo sa pinakamalapit na guard house sa kanto.

"Na-holdup po ako."

"Kuya, 'wag ka dito." sabi ni ate guard.

Nakita kong umalis ang motorsiklo at tumingin pa sa gawi namin. Pagtapos ng ilang saglit, nagtatakbo na ako pauwi ng bahay. May tatlo o apat na nakakita and they said kanina pa nakaparada sa tapat nila ang motor. While running, I was constantly checking if tinamaan ako. God saved me.

After calling the banks to block my cards, changed my password to several online profile, and removing the device to my social media and email acount, I reported the case to the police. It's now under investigation. We tried to check the CCTV but it was too pixelated for us recognize their identity dahil madilim sa lugar nang pinangyarihan. Sira pa dahil patalon-talon ang recorded video.

I've been living around the area and walking that same street for 7 years now. I thought it will never happen but as they say, nakamamatay ang akala. As much as I want to remember their faces, how can I do that if they took advantage of our current situation?

I think God and La Mudra saved me. I'm grateful that I was given a chance to survive that crime. I hope the police will be able to arrest the suspects as soon as possible so that no one would experience what I've gone through.

I'm traumatized and can't sleep well. But I know, this too, shall pass.

***

Sa ngayon, nakakatulog na ako at minsan na lang naiisip ang nangyari. Hindi na rin ako nanghihinayang sa mga nakuha sa akin dahil mas importante na buhay ako. Kayang palitan ang materyal na bagay pero kung sa akin inasinta ang baril, maaaring hindi ko na naisulat ito. Marami pa akong gustong maabot at tuparin, hindi lang para sa sarili ko kundi sa mga umaasa sa akin. This is experience thought me to prioritize safety all the time and be alert especially when it's late at night. I just learned it the hard way but that's fine. Life's like that. 

Ingat palagi, mga ateng!