The Interview of Unang Hirit with NCRPO Chief Rosales this morning (December 21) disturbed me when he said that the rate of street crimes in Metro Manila was surprisingly low this December. I am not sure if he is speaking in comparative terms vis-a-vis last year’s crime rate or last month’s but I find it hard to believe in light of unreported crimes.
Just last Thursday, 17 December 2009, around 6 p.m., my blockmates (Lora, Jojo, Marge) experienced/witnessed first hand street crime in Agham Road, Quezon City. Two men (one middle aged person, and the other one, a teenager) each carrying long knives boarded the UP-SM North Jeep they were riding. These men tried to snatch the bag and cellphone of a female UP student seated near the entrance of the jeep.
Despite the fact that these men were armed with long knives, the female UP student resisted and kept begging them not to. The middle aged man wounded the female UP student’s hand forcing the latter to let go of her bag and cellphone. Probably aware that they have drawn too much attention, the men were satisfied with the bag and cellphone of the female UP student and walked away (casually, as Lora described it).
Thankfully, none of my blockmates were harmed. None of their belongings were taken (thanks to the attention drawn by the brave UP student). But, the trauma of the incident was already ingrained in their minds. Because of the panic, none of them recall the face of the robbers.
The driver did not do anything (or couldn’t do anything anyway).
My blockmates were mad because the jeep was not supposed to traverse Agham Road. The driver claiming that traffic was heavy followed a different route, which made the entire incident suspicious. The driver encouraged them to report the incident to the Barangay Captain of the community of informal settlers in front of Philippine Science High School. Fearful that the barangay was the territory of those hooligans, the passengers (all female) decided not to report the incident. Besides, the wounded female UP student needed to bandage her wounded hand soon.
Agham Road is really a hotbed for street crimes. During typhoon Ondoy, I was part of the Crisis Committee for Student Refugees in UP Law constituted by Dean Leonen. I recall that a UP Law Student was also robbed in the corner of Agham and North Avenue. We had to send someone to fetch the law student who took refuge in the Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC).
I don’t mean to be sexist or “gender insensitive” but the usual targets of these criminals are women. I know a majority of our students in UP Law are women and a lot of them pass by North Avenue or Agham Road. Even Lora, Jojo, and Marge suspect that their jeep was carefully chosen by the perpetrators since all of them (except the driver) were women. So, just be careful.
I wish that the Philippine National Police (PNP) would tap the Internet to address peace and order problems. Effective Reporting of crimes is critical to formulation of effective strategies to combat lawlessness. Face to face reporting of street crimes in slum areas can prove intimidating for victims of crimes. The PNP should take a leaf or two from GMA 7’s and Channel 2’s new method of gathering news through the internet (where a site is provided for uploading of videos or information that may be newsworthy).
I view street crimes as reflective of the state of our nation. At the pace we are going however, it is my considered opinion that long term solutions should go hand-in-hand with short term solutions. While we make our move to solve poverty, may our authorities not lose sight of the immediate security and safety concerns of the people.
Have a merry and safe Christmas.
Bryan A. San Juan
Entry No. 5
Just last Thursday, 17 December 2009, around 6 p.m., my blockmates (Lora, Jojo, Marge) experienced/witnessed first hand street crime in Agham Road, Quezon City. Two men (one middle aged person, and the other one, a teenager) each carrying long knives boarded the UP-SM North Jeep they were riding. These men tried to snatch the bag and cellphone of a female UP student seated near the entrance of the jeep.
Despite the fact that these men were armed with long knives, the female UP student resisted and kept begging them not to. The middle aged man wounded the female UP student’s hand forcing the latter to let go of her bag and cellphone. Probably aware that they have drawn too much attention, the men were satisfied with the bag and cellphone of the female UP student and walked away (casually, as Lora described it).
Thankfully, none of my blockmates were harmed. None of their belongings were taken (thanks to the attention drawn by the brave UP student). But, the trauma of the incident was already ingrained in their minds. Because of the panic, none of them recall the face of the robbers.
The driver did not do anything (or couldn’t do anything anyway).
My blockmates were mad because the jeep was not supposed to traverse Agham Road. The driver claiming that traffic was heavy followed a different route, which made the entire incident suspicious. The driver encouraged them to report the incident to the Barangay Captain of the community of informal settlers in front of Philippine Science High School. Fearful that the barangay was the territory of those hooligans, the passengers (all female) decided not to report the incident. Besides, the wounded female UP student needed to bandage her wounded hand soon.
Agham Road is really a hotbed for street crimes. During typhoon Ondoy, I was part of the Crisis Committee for Student Refugees in UP Law constituted by Dean Leonen. I recall that a UP Law Student was also robbed in the corner of Agham and North Avenue. We had to send someone to fetch the law student who took refuge in the Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC).
I don’t mean to be sexist or “gender insensitive” but the usual targets of these criminals are women. I know a majority of our students in UP Law are women and a lot of them pass by North Avenue or Agham Road. Even Lora, Jojo, and Marge suspect that their jeep was carefully chosen by the perpetrators since all of them (except the driver) were women. So, just be careful.
I wish that the Philippine National Police (PNP) would tap the Internet to address peace and order problems. Effective Reporting of crimes is critical to formulation of effective strategies to combat lawlessness. Face to face reporting of street crimes in slum areas can prove intimidating for victims of crimes. The PNP should take a leaf or two from GMA 7’s and Channel 2’s new method of gathering news through the internet (where a site is provided for uploading of videos or information that may be newsworthy).
I view street crimes as reflective of the state of our nation. At the pace we are going however, it is my considered opinion that long term solutions should go hand-in-hand with short term solutions. While we make our move to solve poverty, may our authorities not lose sight of the immediate security and safety concerns of the people.
Have a merry and safe Christmas.
Bryan A. San Juan
Entry No. 5
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