A Very Lucky Day!

I woke up late this morning and hence I headed for the office late. As a result, the traffic in Quezon City Circle and the stretch of East Avenue trapped me. Even though I paid for my whole way to Ortigas Center, I climbed down the bus along GMA-Timog Avenue to instead ride the MRT train. I believed this is the fastest way to reach the office before 10:00am.

True enough, I climbed down the MRT-Ortigas Station at 9:00am and walked my way brickly around Quadix and ADB Avenues. When I reached the Garnet Road, I noticed my sling-bodybag widely open and found my wallet and my two cellular phones gone. I went back traversing the avenues I have walked hoping that I accidentally opened the bag and the stuffs simply fell off. When I reached EDSA, I was truly convinced that I was pickpocketed.

I calmed myself down and prayed. I offered to God that everything happened for a reason, no matter how unfathomable. I headed back to the office to make a call for BDO bank to cut or freeze my AMEX credit card, send email-advisory to all my friends and colleagues about my stolen cellphones and to warn them of any treacherous activity using my contact numbers.

At 9:30 am, I hurriedly prepared and sent the following advisory:

I was pickpocketed, and I lost my wallet and 2 cellphones, this morning June 15, 2011 at 9:00 in the morning on my way to the office in Ortigas Center. Please be advised that you can no longer contact me through these numbers, 09233946847 (suncel) and 09276569620 (globe). I will release the information on my new contact mobile number soon. Don't worry, I am fine. I don't lose much except for the PRC and other important IDs. As to monies lost, it's bearable (550pesos and 40baht). Fortunately, I turned over to my sister my ATM card. Please include me in your prayers, that my wallet with all IDs in it will find its path back to me.

My friends and colleagues' sympathies came pouring in after a while, such as:

omg crissy.. good to know that you are safe and nothing much have taken from you... take care always (Kaye Zapanta)

will keep u in my prayers :-) (Aida C. Mendoza)

Hi, Cris. I'm sad to learn about this incident. I agree with you, the money can be replaced easily. But the IDs are more difficult to replace. Where specifically at Ortigas Center did this happen, and how? If we knew how this happened, we will be more cautious ourselves. Kind regards, Leila Elvas

Beware pf pickpocketers always. inform me your new no. asap. (Gerry Araneta)

Sir, ouch. I know how you feel. I was also pickpocketed before. 1 Cellphone nga lang sa akin dati. Anyway, keep safe always. Sayang, should i have known, pinalitan ko na lang sana ung baht mo sir, punta ko thailand next week for the Fifth Asia Pacific Urban Forum. Rest assured my prayers. Mapapalitan din yan sir. Tedious process nga lang ung sa IDs. Pero good thing, you can start all over again naman. Surely, you'll be back complete in no time. God bless. (ALDRIN M. AQUINO)

Cris,Our prayers are with you. I hope the IDs will be returned. Thanks for the info.(Patrick Mejia)

Good Morning  . . . Am sorry. . . We will pray for you and for your wallet to be back to you as it is hard to recontruct all those, time consuming. . . God bless. (Masa Arriesgado)

cris, Im so sorry with your mishap. Hope somebody with good heart send it back to you. God Bless you always. (Edmund Dantes)

Sis, So sorry to hear about what happened. but thankful you'r okay. don't worry whatever that's lost will be gained back tenfolds. buti nalang you're safe. Ingat palagi. (Ma. Joy R. Fortaleza)

My sister En kept on calling my globe phone number and told me that it was still ringing. It registered as missed call on my cellphone when the Robinsons Galleria's Security personnel confiscated it. An agent messaged my sister about the recovery of my stuffs, inclusive of 500 peso, 40 baht and 1500 dong bills, nokia 6300 and samsung corby phones, brown wallet with ID cards. She then called the security guard's office to confirm and messaged me through the Yahoo Messenger instructing me to immediately visit the said office.

I reached the basement of the Robinsons Galleria mall at once and found the culprit there. To my surprise, he is gay with greasy long hair, his black effeminate bag laid on a table inside-out, my stuffs included in the exhibit. Without second thought, I filed a complaint. Despite the gay culprits plea to forgive him and promise to never pickpocket again, I submitted and forwarded my complaint to the police. Unfortunately, my case is weak because I was not the supposed primary complainant. The recovery of my possessions is just a blessing in disguise and my recognition of the suspect is secondary, very circumstantial, plus the Libis Police Department has no jurisdiction over my plight which happened within the Pasig City area. I resorted to blottering the incidence and have the gay-culprit free from jail once more.

At 2:30pm, when I came back to the office I instantly write a follow-up advisory that goes:

Firstly, I would like to thank you all for your prayers. This is to inform you all that the culprit of my early morning mishap was caught by the Security Personnel of Robinsons Galleria and is now under police custody. I have recovered all the items stolen from me. God works in mysterious ways! That during the time that we offer our intention to Him, the pickpocketer searched for another prey and inside the mall he went and victimized another. The undercover security agents of the mall have witnessed the pickpocketing of a pouch containing P10,000 and so the culprit was arrested. When they searched him, they found my stuffs. So I hereby lift the earlier advisory. You can now contact me through the same mobile phone numbers. Let us be more careful this time, anywhere, everywhere. Never be complacent in associating with any person; in fact, my offender is a green-blooded creature (bakla!) as I am. Never leave your things unattended. Thank you again, my friends.

Thank you God for everything! All praises be with you always!