Heads up lang mga fellow tsikoteers! Here's another story relayed by a friend's acquaintance. It may happen to anybody. Ingat lang tayo. Read on:

My family and I wish to share what happened to my sister last Sunday, May 14, at around 9pm. Please take this seriously.

My sister asked to be dropped off at The Podium so that she could take a cab, believing it was safer and quicker to catch a cab there than at Robinson's Galleria, where there was a long line for the taxi, since it's a high-end place. She allowed several groups to get the cabs ahead of her. After she was left alone on the sidewalk of The Podium, she hailed a cab passing by.

Upon getting in, the cab driver told her to sit in the middle of the back seat because the wheels of the car were supposedly weak and wouldn't be able to support the one-sided weight. Being tired, my sister did not think this as unusual and did as the driver said. Also, this cab did not have markings inside, as normal taxis would.

A block away from The Podium, the cab driver stopped, unlocked the doors, and two men instantly got in the cab on both sides. One of the men immediately punched her, intending to knock her out. Fortunately, she didn't black out.

The men took her cash (more than P15,000), cellular phones, new pair of shoes. These men did not leave it at that. They made it a point to search all of her belongings, even opening her sanitary pads, in case there were stuff hidden there. They repeatedly hit her, with intentions of knocking her out.

One of the men saw her ATMs and wanted to cruise around the city to withdraw all her cash. The other one in the back seat was probably feeling a bit guilty and told the other that what they had was enough.

As I said, fortunately, she didn't black out. We believe it was also fortunate she had cash at that time. The original plan, as my sister heard it, was that they will take her to some far off place, Bulacan or Batangas, to use her as they will. If she did not have that big amount at hand, they probably would have done her in. They've been driving around for probably about an hour towards the intended destination.

Since she did not black-out, the men decided to leave her stranded in EDSA, gave her P100, and threw her other things on the road. We're really grateful she got home safe that night.

Through this experience, we wish to impart several points of advice:

1 -- It's safer to just be patient and wait at the cue line of a popular mall than a class A mall. These men assume that you have a lot of money when they see you by high-end places such as The Podium, Shangri-La, etc.

2 -- Choose your taxis well. Especially late at night, it is better to hail one of the well-known cabs such as MGE, R&E, Xavierville, Avis, or call their operator so that one could pick you up. At least these are honest drivers.

3 -- If you really have to take a cab, wait with a friend who has a car. Ask your friend to jot down the plate and name of the cab you flagged down. Then text him/her that you got home safe.

4 -- If it's late at night and friends or family offer to give you a ride, DO NOT DECLINE. These people simply care about your well-being. They want to make sure you get home safe.

We hope this will help everyone be cautious in going home at night.

Please forward to everyone, especially to those who frequently takes taxis to go around.

Jamielynn Anne F. Cruz
UP-PGH Class 2010