Held-up.

And it was a typical Friday night, and I’m in the usual “thank God it’s Friday” mood.  I was on my way home from our office team meeting and dinner.  I was high-spirited and happy.  My workloads are done for the week; I had a fun moment with my office mates, and eagerly looking forward to the weekend.

I took my usual routine on my way home:  I walked from dela Rosa and crossed Ayala Avenue, and went to the waiting area for a cab.  Mga ilang minuto din akong naghintay pero walang dumadaan na sasakyan.  So i opted to walk again towards Valero, deciding to take the fx shuttle on the way home.  One unit stopped in front of me, bound to Greenland Pasig.  I made a hand sign asking kung dadaan ng Bagong Ilog.  The driver nodded, so I took the ride.  I sat at my favorite spot—sa likod, right side.  The driver’s wife and their two kids were at the front, a guy and two ladies in the middle, then another lady was with me at the back.  There was this weird looking man sitting with us at the back, right in front of me.  At first when I looked at him, I was like, “kuya ayaw mo naman magslouch? Nasa bahay ka?”  He is wearing a black cap, dark clothes, with a dark colored knapsack, and he is “dark”.  Naisip ko na naman, production assistant ba tong si kuya? Naka all black eh.  He looked restless.

The weird looking man, finally, settled on his seat properly.  Kinuha ko ang earphones ko and I listened to music like I usually do when travelling.  Hindi ko nilabas yung iTouch ko, just the earphones.  Hindi ko maiwasang mapatingin sa lalaking kaharap ko.  He looks like he’s observing each and every one of us inside the vehicle.  I had this sudden feeling na “baka holdaper to.....”.  When we approached the Buendia flyover, I was currently in making a decision to get off the vehicle when suddenly the tall, dark and never mind man sitting in front of me took a gun out of his dark knapsack and forcefully declared:  “HOLDAP TO!”

I was shocked.  My sleepiness left me that instant.  I began to tremble and wanted to faint.  Unang tinutukan ni kuya yung isang lalaking nakasakay sa gitna (minutes earlier he took out his iPhone 4 because someboday called him up).  “Akina mga cellphone niyo!!!!” My heart wanted to jump out of my chest, I was really in shock.  I was saying to myself, ilalabas ko ba yung BlackBerry ko? Nooooo.... I won’t, di ko naman siya nilabas sa bag ko eh. He wouldn’t know. 

He grabbed the phone of my co-passenger, a Nokia qwerty phone.  Nung una aagawin pa sana ulit ni ate yung phone niya, pleading to get her simcard back.  But the man was furious, he angrily refused to return the sim card.  Then he grabbed the other man’s iPhone 4 and the other lady’s cellphone.  Walang nakuha dun sa isang babae kasi malayo siya dun sa holdaper.  It all happened at the flyover.  Parang gusto kong marealize na ganun pala kahaba ang Buendia flyover.  It was my longest trip at the flyover, ever.

He last looked at me, tinutukan niya ako ng baril, right at my face, and demanding me to give him my iTouch---my only begotten iTouch:  The one given to me by my younger sister, a gift from her from Canada.  Of course, even at my state of shock, I was able to think of my actions properly.  I just gave it away.  Pikit mata.  I wanted to scream, to cry out, but I chose not to.  Baka magfreak out si kuya at barilin ako.  Ayaw ko pang mamatay.

Pagkababa ng flyover, he shouted at us once again, still pointing his gun at us... “Huwag kang titigil sa pag andar!  Pasasabugin ko kayong lahat!”  After that threat, he hurriedly went off the fx shuttle.  Nagmamadali siya, may lakad yata... and walked away from us, normally, as if nothing happened.

We continued in our journey to Pasig but it’s as if we don’t know where we are going.  That’s the time na nag freak out na yung mga kasama ko.  But I was still silent, not because kalmado ako; but because I too wanted to freak out!

We stopped at Kalayaan Avenue and figured out what we should do.  The driver went off the fx and looked for someone na makakatulong sa amin.  Then there’s two policemen who approached us and asked what happened.  Sinabi naman namin but we were disappointed with their response.  “Hindi po kasi namin jurisdiction yung pinangyarihan ng holdap eh.  Sa may presinto sa may Hotel Intercon kayo magreport....”  Okay fine, pero sana kahit escortan man lang kami papunta dun sa presinto, baka mas okay na sana.  But after a few minutes, the two policemen were nowhere to be found.  So we made our own efforts to look for that police station, wala kaming choice.  The woman sitting beside me and the other one na hindi nakuhanan ng phone, they did not went with us due to their personal reasons.  I was tired and sleepy, but I chose to come with them.   I posted a status on my Facebook about the incident; I was trembling still while typing the words.  I was thankful to God for sparing my life.  I texted my family and informed them of what happened.

We were able to locate the police station and reported the incident.  I was not putting any hopes na mahuli nila yung suspect, if you know what I mean.  After an hour my parents and my sister arrived at the station.  Upon seeing them, I broke my silence:  I embraced my dad and cried.  I was really scared, afraid, traumatized.  Noon, hanggang kwento lang sa mga friends ko yung holdapan na  ganun, but now, mismong ako naexperience ko na.  Totoo pala talaga na may ganun.

After that, umalis na kami sa police station.  Hinatid na din namin yung isang  babaeng naholdap.  We reached home at past 1AM. 

Pagkaupo ko sa kama ko, may mga naisip lang ako (these are honest thoughts, not necessarily correct or acceptable):

Dapat pala may isang spare phone ka na mumurahin na pwede mong ibigay sa holdaper.

-          Dapat pala dinala ko yung pepper spray ko.  But I changed my mind.  Baka magpaputok lang si kuya ng baril pag inisprayan ko siya nun, lalo lang magkagulo.

-          Ngayon ko napatunayan yung mga sinasabi noon ni Bro. Eddie:  Na shocking and grinding ang poverty level sa atin.  Na kailangan pa mangholdap at pumatay ng tao para lang magkapera, para lang mabuhay.

-          Ayoko nang magcommute mag isa.

-          May isa pa akong naisip, pero hindi ko na isusulat dito. 

I was crying and praying to God, thanking Him for sparing my life.  I believe He has greater plans for me na hindi pa nangyayari kaya He saved me from that danger.  Despite the trauma that incident caused me, still, I will never stop thanking the Lord for his indescribable mercy and power, and for the lives of my family and loved ones who showed concern to me... Truly no material possessions can match the Lord’s greatness and the love these guys showed me.

"For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways." Psalm 91:11 KJV

Just want to share this song by JJ Heller – Your Hands

I have unanswered prayers
I have trouble I wish wasn't there
And I have asked a thousand ways
That You would take my pain away
That You would take my pain away

I am trying to understand
How to walk this weary land
Make straight the paths that crookedly lie
Oh Lord, before these feet of mine
Oh Lord, before these feet of mine

When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave Your hands

When You walked upon the Earth
You healed the broken, lost, and hurt
I know You hate to see me cry
One day You will set all things right
Yea, one day You will set all things right

When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave Your hands

Your hands
Your hands that shape the world 
Are holding me, they hold me still
Your hands that shape the world
Are holding me, they hold me still

When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave You when...

When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave...
I never leave Your hands