21 September 2005
16 September 2005
Be alert! Be warned!
It pays to read this especially sa mga mahilig umuwi ng late. Read through...
> > >
> > >
Finally, I am able to get over my initial shock, and write about my experience. The other Tuesday, Aug. 24, after the fellowship following our regular club meeting, I was on my way home to Filinvest I.
> > >
Around 12 midnight, my car (a late model Accord), was cut by another car with blinkers, and four men armed with armalites aimed their guns at me, and told me to open my door. First I thought they were policemen in civvies who had mistaken me for someone else, or whatever. But when they commanded me to board their car and demanded my wallet and valuables, I knew they were robbers and carjackers. To make a long story short, I was dropped at Macapagal Avenue at around 3 a.m. of Wednesday, but not before cleaning my ATM account, inflicting harm on my person, threatening to kill me, and firing at me (with the intent of scaring me). (And of course, taking my Accord earlier).
Classmates, the following day (actually around 9 am of the same day, Wednesday) I reported the incident to the Central Police District. And lo and behold, I learned that so many incidents (about a dozen or more since the beginning of the year) like what I went through (remember, we are talking here of carjacking or taking your car at gunpoint, not just simple carnapping!) had been taking place in and around the following areas:
> > >
1. Quezon Avenue underpass, crossing EDSA
2. Dark streets in the areas around Morato and around the West Triangle
3. Some areas in the Teacher's village, etc.
4. Commonwealth -- although I understand that my case was the first one on top of the overpass over Tandang Sora.
5. Some parts of EDSA - also in Q.C.
> > >
Another, and I just learned this later from non-police sources, is the flyover from Libis, going to Katipunan, and also the underpass tunnel connected to the flyover. (Here, as in the Quezon underpass, the favorite maneuver is to sandwich the victim's car between two cars, one in front and the other behind.) Other carjackings have also taken place in other parts of Metro Manila, especially Pasig, but Q.C. is the epicenter of these incidents.
> > >
Favorite time of carjackers (as distinct from carnappers who take vehicles while they are parked) is between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. although some carjackings are known to have taken place even earlier.
> > >
The day after I was victimized, another similar incident took place (probably by the same gang), with a 26 year old woman, the daughter of an executive judge of Zambales, as the victim. She tried to parry an armalite aimed at her and apparently, the gun went off, hitting her on the thigh, shattering her femur. Let's pray that she will recover soon, and that she will not lose her leg.
> > >
Before me, it has been rumored that the son of a high official of the PNP was almost victimized, but for the fact that his driver, a policeman himself, told the robbers he was a policeman, and that his passenger is the son of this high official of PNP. (The robbers had the temerity to ask for IDs of the two before letting them go.)
Other victims: a priest, a money changer, a couple with a daughter, another couple, etc.
> > >
According to the police, even kidnappings are rising. Let's be careful but not fearful. Let's inform our children about what's taking place. And maybe suggest to them that, rather than go home during those unholy hours (11 p.m. to 3 a.m.) better if they just stay where they are or stay with a friend at his or her place, rather than go through the no-man's land that is Q.C. (or parts of it anyway!).
> > >
Note: If you or your children have to really drive during those hours, better to take the Commonwealth / Tandang Sora crossing at street level, where there are many vehicles, people and a police outpost.
> > >
Take care, my friends! You don't want to go through what I have gone through.
> > >
> > >
Finally, I am able to get over my initial shock, and write about my experience. The other Tuesday, Aug. 24, after the fellowship following our regular club meeting, I was on my way home to Filinvest I.
> > >
Around 12 midnight, my car (a late model Accord), was cut by another car with blinkers, and four men armed with armalites aimed their guns at me, and told me to open my door. First I thought they were policemen in civvies who had mistaken me for someone else, or whatever. But when they commanded me to board their car and demanded my wallet and valuables, I knew they were robbers and carjackers. To make a long story short, I was dropped at Macapagal Avenue at around 3 a.m. of Wednesday, but not before cleaning my ATM account, inflicting harm on my person, threatening to kill me, and firing at me (with the intent of scaring me). (And of course, taking my Accord earlier).
Classmates, the following day (actually around 9 am of the same day, Wednesday) I reported the incident to the Central Police District. And lo and behold, I learned that so many incidents (about a dozen or more since the beginning of the year) like what I went through (remember, we are talking here of carjacking or taking your car at gunpoint, not just simple carnapping!) had been taking place in and around the following areas:
> > >
1. Quezon Avenue underpass, crossing EDSA
2. Dark streets in the areas around Morato and around the West Triangle
3. Some areas in the Teacher's village, etc.
4. Commonwealth -- although I understand that my case was the first one on top of the overpass over Tandang Sora.
5. Some parts of EDSA - also in Q.C.
> > >
Another, and I just learned this later from non-police sources, is the flyover from Libis, going to Katipunan, and also the underpass tunnel connected to the flyover. (Here, as in the Quezon underpass, the favorite maneuver is to sandwich the victim's car between two cars, one in front and the other behind.) Other carjackings have also taken place in other parts of Metro Manila, especially Pasig, but Q.C. is the epicenter of these incidents.
> > >
Favorite time of carjackers (as distinct from carnappers who take vehicles while they are parked) is between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. although some carjackings are known to have taken place even earlier.
> > >
The day after I was victimized, another similar incident took place (probably by the same gang), with a 26 year old woman, the daughter of an executive judge of Zambales, as the victim. She tried to parry an armalite aimed at her and apparently, the gun went off, hitting her on the thigh, shattering her femur. Let's pray that she will recover soon, and that she will not lose her leg.
> > >
Before me, it has been rumored that the son of a high official of the PNP was almost victimized, but for the fact that his driver, a policeman himself, told the robbers he was a policeman, and that his passenger is the son of this high official of PNP. (The robbers had the temerity to ask for IDs of the two before letting them go.)
Other victims: a priest, a money changer, a couple with a daughter, another couple, etc.
> > >
According to the police, even kidnappings are rising. Let's be careful but not fearful. Let's inform our children about what's taking place. And maybe suggest to them that, rather than go home during those unholy hours (11 p.m. to 3 a.m.) better if they just stay where they are or stay with a friend at his or her place, rather than go through the no-man's land that is Q.C. (or parts of it anyway!).
> > >
Note: If you or your children have to really drive during those hours, better to take the Commonwealth / Tandang Sora crossing at street level, where there are many vehicles, people and a police outpost.
> > >
Take care, my friends! You don't want to go through what I have gone through.
10 September 2005
Religious Philosophy
| You are a Believer |
 |
Unanswered prayers?
A voyaging ship was wrecked during a storm at sea and only two of the men on it were able to swim to a small, desert like island. The two survivors, not knowing what else to do, agree that they had no other recourse but to pray to God.
However, to find out whose prayer was more powerful, they agreed to divide the territory between them and stay on opposite sides of the island. The first thing they prayed for was food.The next morning, the first man saw a fruit-bearing tree on his side of the land, and he was able to eat its fruit. The other man's parcel of land remained barren.
After a week, the first man was lonely and he decided to pray for a wife. The next day, another ship was wrecked, and the only survivor was a woman who swam to his side of the land. On the other side of the island, there was nothing.
Soon the first man prayed for a house, clothes, more food. The next day, like magic, all of these were given to him. However, the second man still had nothing. Finally, the first man prayed for a ship, so that he and his wife could leave the island. In the morning, he found a ship docked at his side of the island. The first man boarded the ship with his wife and decided to leave the second man on the island. He considered the other man unworthy to receive God's blessings, since none of his prayers had been answered.
As the ship was about to leave, the first man heard a voice from heaven booming, "Why are you leaving your companion on the island?"
"My blessings are mine alone, since I was the one who prayed for them," the first man answered. "His prayers were all unanswered and so he does not deserve anything."
"You are mistaken!" the voice rebuked him. "He had only one prayer, which I answered. If not for that, you would not have received any of my blessings."
"Tell me," the first man asked the voice, "what did he pray for that I should owe him anything?" "He prayed that all your prayers be answered."
For all we know, our blessings are not the fruits of our prayers alone, but those of another praying for us. This is too good not to share.
With obedience come blessings. My prayer for you today is that all your prayers are answered. Be blessed.
"What you do for others is more important than what you do for yourself". This was shared with me by a friend, I hope you will share with your friends, if you choose to do so.
Have a great day!
However, to find out whose prayer was more powerful, they agreed to divide the territory between them and stay on opposite sides of the island. The first thing they prayed for was food.The next morning, the first man saw a fruit-bearing tree on his side of the land, and he was able to eat its fruit. The other man's parcel of land remained barren.
After a week, the first man was lonely and he decided to pray for a wife. The next day, another ship was wrecked, and the only survivor was a woman who swam to his side of the land. On the other side of the island, there was nothing.
Soon the first man prayed for a house, clothes, more food. The next day, like magic, all of these were given to him. However, the second man still had nothing. Finally, the first man prayed for a ship, so that he and his wife could leave the island. In the morning, he found a ship docked at his side of the island. The first man boarded the ship with his wife and decided to leave the second man on the island. He considered the other man unworthy to receive God's blessings, since none of his prayers had been answered.
As the ship was about to leave, the first man heard a voice from heaven booming, "Why are you leaving your companion on the island?"
"My blessings are mine alone, since I was the one who prayed for them," the first man answered. "His prayers were all unanswered and so he does not deserve anything."
"You are mistaken!" the voice rebuked him. "He had only one prayer, which I answered. If not for that, you would not have received any of my blessings."
"Tell me," the first man asked the voice, "what did he pray for that I should owe him anything?" "He prayed that all your prayers be answered."
For all we know, our blessings are not the fruits of our prayers alone, but those of another praying for us. This is too good not to share.
With obedience come blessings. My prayer for you today is that all your prayers are answered. Be blessed.
"What you do for others is more important than what you do for yourself". This was shared with me by a friend, I hope you will share with your friends, if you choose to do so.
Have a great day!
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