HOLD-UP IS FOR REAL"How to get away with Hold-uper"
I Readers good day!
First I would like to thank you, for all the support on all the blogs I wrote. It was a truly amazing response from all of you. You know what? all I want is to inspire you all by making these blogs. This new blog is about my new real experience that happened few days ago but I really don’t know when or how to start.
Few days ago January 29, 2018 I met my client at Laguna for the payment of Makati City business renewal, costing Php 23,805.99 to be exact. My client gave me Php 24,000 and I told her that I will try to catch City Treasurers office hours. But sadly it was really traffic, so what I did since I only pay up to Ayala I just waited for another bus to come and ride again and get home. Next day, January 30, 2018 a new client called me and asked for my bookkeeping service, according to them they need my service for the branch at Ortigas City. My quotation was Php 28,290. That day after school hours I decided to meet them at Gilmore, Quezon City to discuss everything and thanks God they didn’t want to pay cash because they wanted to deposit it on my account. While walking I’m thinking on how or where to ride? I can take a LRT (train) from Gilmore to Santolan Station however it’s not easy during rush hour so I decided to take LRT to Cubao Station then I will just take a jeepney to Pagrai Antipolo. Before taking a ride I felt I needed to pee. Usually I will go up and pay Php 10 just to pee inside the mall, but that exact moment I felt lazy so I just went somewhere near the area of gateway to pee. I saw people pee even near crowd I felt shame. At first, since I’m a student and I’m wearing uniform second I’m a professional so I looked for the place where I can pee somewhere a bit dark. When a man professional looking says;
Man: Hoy! Alam mo bang bawal umihi dito?
Hey! Do you know you are not allowed to pee here?
Me: Ay! Sorry po.
I’m sorry.
Man: Hindi pwedeng sorry lang dito! Sandali lang!
We don’t accept Just Sorry! Wait!
Then suddenly owner type jeep arrives driver is uniform man wearing police. That man never showed his face.
Man: “Kinausap ang Police”. Tagasaan kaba?
“He talked to police”. Where are you from?
Me: Antipolo Po.
Antipolo
Man: Alam mo bang pwede ka naming plantahan ng Droga?
Do you know that we can implant drugs on you?
Me: (Gulat)
(Shock)
Man: Labas mo gamit mo
Check your belongings
I noticed the money inside my sling bag but I was trying to hide it because it’s not mine. But because I was too nervous, accidentally I suddenly got it like magnet on my hands.
Man: Ops! Anu yan? pera yan ah!
Ops! What is tha’t? That’s money right?
The last thing I know is he holds the money.
Me: Boss! hindi akin yan
Sir! That’s not mine
Man: Sinigigawan mo ba ako?
Are you shouting at me?
And trying to hit me, and put the gun on my face then slowly return it
Man: Anu ba trabaho mo?
What is your Job?
Me: Studyante po ako.
I’m Student.
Man: Studyante? pero may pera kang ganyan, alam mo ba yung mga patayan na nangyayari dito? Totoo yun, pwede ka naming plantahan ng droga.
Student? How and where did you get that money? We can implant a drugs on you, have you seen that killings on TV? It’s all true.
Then he checked my ID, But because my school ID and my company ID are in one holder I started talking,
Me: Studyante po ako, pero employed ako bilang CRS sa 2GO at di po ako napasok mag iisang buwan na kasi nga po nag aaral ako. Yang pera hindi po akin yan sa kleyente ko yan Freelance Bookkeeper po ako. Pambayad po yan sa City Hall para sa Business Renewal nila
I’m student, At the same time CRS at 2GO but I’m not working for about a month because I’m studying. That’s not mine it’s from my client I’m a freelance bookkeeper. It is payment for the business renewal at City Hall.
Man: Sige Hatiin nalang natin
Okay let’s just get our share?
Me: Hatiin? Boss hindi akin yan e! di pa nga ko nakaka bayad sa tuition ko e
Share? Sir that’s not mine! I haven’t yet pay my tuition at school
He again gets his gun and points it to my face
Man: Sinigigawan mo ko?
Are you shouting at me?
Me: hindi boss
No Sir
Man: Tawagin mo kong kuya, mas matanda ako sayo
Call me brother I’m older than you.
Then he returns his gun, and start counting the money one 1 by 1.
Me: Ah? Pre hati tapos isang libo?
Ah? Pre half? How come 1 thousand is half?
Man: Wag mo ko tawaging Pare! Kahit Kilan di kita nagging kumpare?
Don’t Call me Pre
Just for everyone who doesn’t know what is Kumpare short for Pare or Pre, it is how you call a man helps you to be sponsor in baptism.
Me: Pwede ko nalang po bang bilangin yung pera?
Can I just count the money?
Because I want to know how much if ever I am going to pay or to borrow just in case. It’s Php 14, 000.
Man: 1, 2, 3, 4, Panu yan dapat Php 20,000 ang ibibigay mo sakin kasi bibigyan ko pa si (bhlaa, bhlaa, bhlaa) dahil hindi ko na naintindihan yung mga pangalang binangit nya.
1, 2, 3, 4, You should pay me Php 20, 000 because I have to share it with (Bhlaa, bhlaa, bhlaa) because I don’t remember those names he mention, He gave me Php 4000. Then suddenly from his pocket he gets his phone I was so shock, the phone is similar to mine.
Me: Oh my god!, Kuya Cellphone ko po yan, ito po yung 4k balik nyo nalang sakin yang phone, hindi po akin yan binigay lang ng friend ko at dyan po lahat ng contact ko sa family ko sa probinsya
Oh my god! Bro that phone is mine, here’s 4000 please give it back to me, that’s not mine, My friend gave it to me and all my contact are there even at my family in province.
Man: Wag mo ko sigawan!
Don’t shout on me!
Me: Hindi po, ganto lang ako magsalita kahit sa bahay, boss may sakit po ako sa puso medyo masama napo ang pakiramdam ko
No, this is how I speak even at home, sorry but I have heart illness and I’m not feeling well.
Then the man is trying to calm me
Man: Anu probinsya mo?
What is you province?
Me: Bikol po
Bikol
Man: Okay lang yan
It’s okay
While rubbing me at the back and continue talking
Man: Bikolano din ako, Wag ka mag alala ako na bahala sakanila.
I’m from Bikol also, don’t worry I’ll take care of them.
He showed his phone to me he is an Army
Man: kilala mo yan?
Do you know him?
I was trying to open his phone because his face was covered with time, and I answered him back
Me: Hindi po
No.
Man: Ako yan, nakikita mo yang hawak ko?
It’s me, Have you seen what I am holding?
Me: Opo, Baril
Yes, it’s a Gun
Man: Sundalo ako
I’m an Army
In the end he gave me 4000 and my phone, I counted my money and its 4000. And He told me to wait; I was thinking that he will just ask for help to his colleagues. Because I’m not really okay. He and the police officer (not so sure if that police who never showed his face was really a policeman) left. After few minutes a tricycle driver sees me sitting on (bangketa) sidewalk while trying to fix my things
Tricycle Driver: Boss okay lang po kayo?
Sir! Are you okay?
Me: Boss! May sakit po ako sa puso pahingi nalang po ng tubig
Sir! I have heart failure can I just ask for water please
Then after a while I was start talking, and the driver told me
Tricycle Driver: Modus po yun, report nyo po
It’s a modus, you have to report it.
Me: Hindi na po gusto ko lang makauwi. Kuya baka po may mga nag mamasid satin kasi marami daw po sila at sabi babalik sya.
Never mind, all I want is to go home, are you sure no one is roaming around because according to him he will return and he has colleagues.
That Driver escorted me to Aurora Blvd. and I said “thank you”. I cross the street while my Knee is still shaken. Then is see UV with signage of COGEO I sit at the back and trying to act normal. I wanted to cry to shout. The first thing I did was post on my FB (facebook).
When I got home I checked my records and I was so sure that its 24, 000 not 14, 000 meaning before that man allow me to count the money he already keep the 10, 000, How? Don’t know, and the 4 000, is only 3, 000.
That night I couldn’t sleep because I can still remember the gun and the face of that man. It was 2am when I close my eyes. I was so scared not for me but for my family. My son is only 2 years old, turning 3 this year. I was afraid to die without seeing my son grow and become stable. I don’t want him to experience the same feeling when my father died. All I want is the best for my family. After that incident I was trying to normalized everything. I went to school, I talked to people. I tried to laugh even if I can’t. I have one realization after that event. You will see people that are very much concern and people who loves you a lot, It doesn’t matter how far or how long you haven’t see each other. I have friend who gave a monetary help who deposited on my account as part of his compassion. I’m thankful because my client trusts me despite of what happened. Even a small message saying “okay lang yan, importante di ka sinaktan” “It’s okay, What’s important is you’re not hurt”. I really appreciate it.
Let us treasure the moment we have with our family. Let us spread the love and share it to everyone. Let us create or make our surroundings a heaven of peace: allow me to qoute “I will spend my heaven by doing good on earth” St. Therese. I know that you have all different opinions on that incident and I’m not trying to change whatever it is on your mind. Judge me if you want, but you cannot change the fact. I wasn’t hurt physically but by pointing a gun on me is a traumatic experience and it really hurts me emotionally.
How to get away with hold-uper
I want to give advices base on my own experiences, hope that this will help you
If you have money try to deposit it, as much as possible right after giving it to you, especially if it’s not yours.
Always act normal.
If you can convince your client to deposit it, online transfer or event issue check for your security.
Avoid dark places as much as possible
Always bring SOS to you. It’s is something that you can use in danger
Be alert, always
If something ever happened to you, I’m not praying it but if encase, try not to panic but be calm.
Think, think and think before you act.
If you can practice self-defense, please do so, you may use it.
Remember the face of the culprit if you can. For the purpose of sketch for police report.
Pray Always, for your family, for yourself, for people around you because prayer is the best weapon for everthing.
Trust no one but God.
Be the Channel of Goodwill
My name is Meljohn Camacho Gaspi, and I am Mr. Channel of GoodWill.
