Robbery: Fight or Shut Up?

I witnessed a roberry incident one Saturday afternoon. It happened right in front of me. The distance between me and the robbers  and the victim was barely a meter. And I clearly remember the faces of those two bastards and how they robbed their victim.

I was onboard an air-conditioned bus that afternoon, exact time was 12 quarter, to Quezon City. I took the first seat (near the door) beside the window. The bus where I was onboard was still near Baclaran Rotonda loading up passengers, it’s taking too long so I decided to read The Alchemist which I borrowed from Clydie. Though reading I make sure that I see the faces of passengers who are coming aboard — yes, it’s a sort of profiling of who looks like good and bad. Better beware than be sorry because nowadays, even good-looking man and woman are also holduppers, snatchers, or thieves.

Three passengers — two adult women and one man — came aboard together. And when I raised my head, right in front of me, I saw how those robbers did their modus operandi. Inipit nila yung ale. The old man leaning on the seat beside me blocked the way of the victim, so the victim was ’sandwiched,’ then the main robber, who’s at the back of the victim, rapidly took the black pouch from the victim’s shoulder bag. I noticed that the zipper of the shoulder bag was fully opened which was a good chance for an easy robbery. It happened so quick!

The old man and the lady snatcher both noticed that I witnessed what they did, they both threatened me by saying, “Ano?” habang nanlalaki ang mga mata.

I was stunned. Seeing the knife-like stuff which was wrapped with newspaper, I decided not  to react but deep in my heart I was guilty. My eyes became teary. I’m guilty, even until now that I’m writing this, because I never did what is right. I’m guilty because I did not do anything for the old lady who wept when she learned that her pouch was robbed.

In that incident, I realized that you only have two options: fight or shut up. But fighting would mean assault to you, or worse, death. The bus driver shared a story that one time, “pumalag  yung konduktor namin dun sa snatcher nung nakita niya yung nangyari, kaya yun, patay. Tinarakan ng kutsilyo sa leeg.” Though I heard that from the bus driver, I still felt the guilt for shutting up. I just kept my mouth shut because I didn’t just fear for my life. I also fear for my loved ones who are the main reason why I work. I still have two sisters who will go to college, that’s why I still need to live. Of course there are so many other reasons why I want to remain living as long as God permits it.

In giving value for our own lives and the peope we love, sometimes we choose to be coward.