Today is the start of my 2nd life! I feel so because of what I just went through at the hands of a gun-toting individual whom I had a most unfortunate encounter with yesterday evening at the parking lot of Gateway in Cubao.

I had just rounded the corner following the exit arrows leasing towards the exit of the underground parking lot when to my surprise a grey Mitsubishi Adventure going the wrong way appears before me. Since it was a bit tight, I motion to him to look at the directional sign but I get a dirty finger instead and a mouthfull of what I surmise could be invectives basing from the movements of his mouth.

Since he was travelling with his wife and son whom I could see in his car, I thought that he would just let it pass and move by the side to let me through. I was mistaken, he alights from his car and rushes towards me. I thought I could still reason out with him but he was just so full of rage at this time. I go down from my car and all hell breaks loose, he hurls invectives at me all the time pointing his finger at my face. I told him that he was the one who committed a mistake going against traffic but he did not care at all. Then out of nowhere he pulled out a gun, cocked it and pointed it at me, then he told me “ sino ngayon ang matapang”. The only thing I could do was to tell him “babarilin mo ako para lang dito?”.

At this piont my whole life passes through my eyes and then I started to shout to attract the guard on duty. It took some time before a guard and a car washer would arrive but before that, the gunman further aggravated the situation by saying “putang ina ka! Sumbong sa guard, lang pala kaya mo!” However, as soon as he saw the guard, he went back to his car and and rushed towards the exit, I narrated to the guard what transpired and asked them to hold the Mitsubishi Adventure at the gate and call the police. They then asked me to move aside and not follow so as not to aggravate the situation further.

After a couple of very tense minutes, the guard went back to me and told me that the gunman got away! He said they tried to hold him but they were a bit intimidated by him. Quoting from the guard he said “ sobrang yabang sir,pinag-sisigawan kami lahat, opisyal daw siya, may kapangyarihan daw siya sa Cubao kasi Konsehal daw siya ng Cubao.” he said further, “Sabi ko mag-usap kayo sa security office pero ang sabi aabangan ka daw niya sa labas!” WTF!!!

At this juncture, I felt so outraged and so helpless at the same time! The security guards of Gateway could not do anything to “provide security”, ensure saftey of their patrons and at the least , do things the right way. They let go of the gunman, let themselves be intimidated and then they tell me just to take it easy. The only clue they could provide me was a name w/c according to them was certain “Larry”, apprently, he shouted at them and proclaimed who he was and how powerful he was. Another guard provided me with the plate number of the adventure and asked for name address etc. I asked if they would write a report but I got a mumble for an answer.

Not knowing what will happen next and worried that the so-called konsehal ng Cubao would make good his threat to wait for me and maybe waylay me , I decided to drive out of Gateway and head straight to the police detatchment. Sadly, the atmosphere at the Cubao precinct did not seem conducive and I did not have an incident report from the Security Guard anyway so decided to head for home. It was one long tense drive home!

I had always followed all traffic rules at every opportunity since I learned to drive decades ago. I do not have any criminal or even civil liabilities and consider myself a law-abiding, quiet and simple citizen. And this **** happens and you feel so helpless At least i’m alive and will wake another day to enjoy the company of my family.

So sorry for the long rant, I know you will all understand, but I do hope that this does not happen to any of you or your family, life is just so precious. If he is indeed a “konsehal” of Cubao,I shudder at the thought of he treats his constituents and I really feel sad for all those who voted for him to be their Civil Servant!