I am totally devastated. I know how hard it was for my parents to save up the money just to buy the phones I want and all of a sudden, those were simply stolen from me. I could have easily taken over Santa Claus’ job with all the gadgets I just “gave away” this year.
And that’s not all...
Just recently, thieves broke into my aunt’s car and took everything she had in it, including a cash amounting to Php 20,000, cellular phones, and ATM cards. Last Thursday, my cousin was held up and robbed by a group of ruthless men. They were not even satisfied of the money they got from my cousin. They then chased him on the highway just to get his phone.
Blame the Victims
I know what you’re thinking. You might say that “we should have been more careful.” Oh yes that’s it!
We live in a world (or to narrow it down…) a country, where you blame the victim for being the victim. We live in a society where you blame the victim for being r@p#d. A society where we believe “Walang manloloko kung walang magpapaloko”and “Walang biktima kung walang magpapabiktima”. (There won’t be people who fools if no one wants to be fooled) and (There’ll be no victims if no one allows themselves to be victims.)
I understand the importance of defending yourself, being careful and taking precautionary measures. But to the point where we BLAME the victims for being the victim? uhh! How about some justice?
Victims of robbery are accused of using their valuables in public--It’s THEIR fault.
R@p# victims are accused of wearing inappropriate dress. It’s THEIR fault, they were “Asking for it!”
What if I tell you that women wearing long sleeves and pants STILL become victims of such crime and other forms of sexual harassment?
What if I tell you majority of the time, my phones were snatched from me while quietly sitting safe in my bag?
This is a society where people think twice before telling their parents that someone stole their personal assets because they know they’ll be blamed for it.
How about the justice system, the proper implementation of the laws? We install CCTV cameras and for what? To watch the show after the damage has been done? I don’t belittle the importance of CCTV cameras but from what I understand about it, it’s supposed to identify the people who commit the crime to take into custody after; not for a flashback. It doesn’t serve its full potential.
Countless Crimes and INJUSTICE in the Philippines
In the streets, thieves are everywhere and it has become a norm to just accept the fact that there are those kinds of people. I personally know some who reported theft incidents to the police but that’s all it will ever be - a report. There are even instances when these bad guys stole your valuables in front of a police station. If the thief gets about a mile away, expect no further backup. Consider your valuables gone forever!
Sad reality
Quiapo, Divisoria, and Greenhills are some of the places where stolen phones, tablets, laptops are sold for half the price! Everyone KNOWS those stolen phones are sold out there and I bet there are thousands of reports about it. I’ve done a report on stolen products as well; and what action was done?
NOTHING is happening
NOTHING! There was even a time I got to BBM with the person who bought my Blackberry phone. She said she bought it from Greenhills. It was like nothing happened.
NOTHING’S CHANGING! More and more people steal but what does the system do? NOTHING!
Yes there’s the 20% caught in the act and taken to jail; but how about the other 80%? This was just the tip of the iceberg. I haven’t even mentioned taxi crimes, jeepney crimes, frauds etc. It’s just too much!
I don’t know what's lacking. Is it the people who no longer have fears or the lack of immediate response on open issues being ignored by the so-called “system” which serves INJUSTICE to our society?
I don’t buy whatever those people say about the crime rate decreasing this year. Crime rate is based on REPORTED incidents. But if you live in a country where REPORTS do nothing, then I wouldn’t bother reporting either; thus, it decreased the crime rate.
We don’t need more laws, we need proper implementation. They make laws, pass bills and create orders but if it’s disobeyed and not implemented properly, then what’s the point?
No one wants to hear... “Well, they’re stricter in THIS area, and in THAT area too.”
But NO! They have to be strict EVERYWHERE! The law applies to ALL, otherwise NONE AT ALL!
