I Am Not A Rapist

“No one would confess to so heinous a crime had they not committed it.”
Larry A. Hammond

I came back at Robinsons Galleria to pick up my clearance, two weeks after enduring the exhausting NBI clearance new application process. However, I was advised that I needed to undergo a personal interview at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) head office before they release my clearance. I am totally bored that day, so I thought maybe this unusual glitch on my daily routine could put some color on my uninteresting day.

I was entertaining weird thoughts on my way to NBI head office. Imagining myself sitting in an abandoned and dark interrogation room with swinging light bulb. Bully NBI officers would come in, with torture written all over their faces, holding electrodes for my sorry testicles, and other officers coming with rubber hoses to beat me up.

Of course not, I was actually smiling while imagining this torture-interrogation thing just like in the movies – me and my boring days and hyper mind. But yeah, all I need was an NBI clearance and what I got was an irritating {yet exciting} day.

The interview

We sat in silence for a minute. I just breathed easy.

“Do you know why we want to see you?” asked the lady officer sitting on her shabby standard government issued desk.

“Hmm, No I don’t Ma’m,” I replied calmly.

Then I was barraged by questions about my work, hometown, present address, college degree and other personal info, which of course didn’t intimidate me a bit. She flipped into my dossier, stopped on a page then said,

“So you got a government scholarship during college?” she asked, then flatly added, “You cannot leave the Philippines because you have a contractual obligation with the Dept. of Science and Tech”

Well I am well aware of that, and I already served my obligations to our Republic years ago. So I just gave a lazy nod – thinking about my recent trip to Hong Kong without any hassle.

She then asked me to sign some documents and instructed to proceed to the adjacent desk to swear, with my right hand raised, that I am not a criminal, in front of an administering officer, holding a Special Prosecutor III stamp, ready to seal my dossier.

What’s in my name

It was so trite, so routine. She seemed happy with my answers. With a smile, she reached out her hand to shake mine. Would I accept and shake the hand of an officer representing the Philippine criminal justice system who disturbed my day as a suspect in a crime – as a rapist?

This was not normal; I am a law-abiding citizen. The only crime I can think of is vandalizing LRT stations during my college years as an activist. So I asked her what was this all about.  

“We are tracking a guy with a rape case in Mindoro with the same name as yours. That is why we want to talk to you.” She quickly quipped then pretend to be busy stamping and signing some documents.

Well I just said, “Whew, blame my Mom for giving me a generic first name.”

But I thought my middle name and surname is unique in the Philippines – because people always pronounced it wrong! (And I grew tired of correcting it, so I just let people read it the way they want)   But still I am unlucky enough to have the same name as a rapist suspect with pending case in Mindoro.

Afterthought

It's bad enough if you share the same name as terror suspect or in my case a rapist. What would you do when the NBI interrogate you? Sue?

There are many interesting mistaken identity stories which reflects the flaws in our criminal justice system. I am sure you heard sad news about these cases of mistaken identity where innocent people experienced torture and imprisonment. It's one of the tragedies that can occur in the criminal justice system.

Does this type of  “HIT” or probably “lack of common sense” happen more often? Why would a criminal voluntarily come to the NBI willing to be interrogated by the investigating officer?

Of course, sometimes the police arrest the wrong person, especially when people share the same name or look alike. The interrogation process itself was a punishment.

After that, what will they say? Ooooops, sorry

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INTERESTING CASES OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY IN THE NEWS

» "Mistaken identity destroys OFW’s dreams"  The case of Jason Aguilar detained by the Doha police after he was mistakenly identified as American citizen Jason Ivler, the road rage suspect wanted in the Philippines.
» "Mistaken identity eyed in woman's killing"
»  Brutal torture of a 25-year-old man over mistaken identity in General Santos City, Mindanao 
The case of Haron Abubakar Buisan who was allegedly illegally arrested, detained and brutally tortured by the policemen attached to the General Santos City Police Office (GSCPO) following his arrest on 12 December 2005. {Asian Human Rights Commission:}
». Ex-judge in mistaken identity case cleared by SC, gets retirement perks
{GMA-News}

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Related Post:
» NBI Clearance New Biometric System » How to get it without losing your patience

16 Funny Things To Ponder About Living in the 21st Century

 1.  The one thing that unites all human beings on the internet, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside we ALL hope that our friends/network will click that "Like" button on our Facebook status.. 

2. There is a very fine line between “Facebook,” "Twitter" and “mental illness.” 

3. The most powerful force in the internet and the whole universe, is gossip. 

4. When trouble arises and things look bad, there is always one Filipino policeman who perceives a solution and is willing to take command. Very often, that policeman is crazy. 

5. You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests you think she’s gaining weight. 

6. If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why your company has not achieved, and never will achieve, its goals, targets or implement plans for salary increase, that word would be “meetings.” 

7. The main accomplishment of almost all organized protests and rallies is to annoy people who are not in them. 

8. If God who created the entire universe with all of its glories, decides to deliver a message to humanity, He will NOT use, as His messenger, that guy on IBC 13, wearing red suit with fake smile who wants to be Philippine President. 

9. People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them. 

10. You should not confuse your LIFE with career and money. 

11. A person who is nice to you, but rude to the fastfood waiters and salesladies, is not a nice person. 

12. Your friends love you, don't doubt that. 

13. Friends come and go, that's normal. If your enemies is accumulating - that's abnormal

14. Nobody cares if you can’t sing well in a videoke bar. Just get up and sing.. 

15. The battle of the sexes ended a few decades ago, too many already betrayed their own and joined the other side. 

16. A man usually feels better after a few winks, especially if she winks back.

Comments, Thoughts? Any additional points to ponder you might want to add?

Yes, There are Dumb Managers

Once during a Management training program, a team of Managers were given an assignment to measure the height of a flagpole. So these Managers went out to the flagpole with ladders and tape.

They're falling off the ladders, dropping the measuring tape - the whole thing is just a mess.

An Engineer comes along and sees what they're trying to do, walks over, pulls the flagpole out of the ground, lays it flat, measures it from end to end, gives the measurement to one of the managers,
Re-erects the flagpole and walks straight-away.

After the Engineer has gone, one Manager turns to another and laughs …

"Isn't that just like an engineer? We're looking for height and he gives the length!"

Moral : No matter what good you do, Some managers can always find fault in you.

Is your manager or boss a fault-finder (and dumb)? You can [anonymously] curse him/her on the comments section below.

The Chick’s Lesson from Shit

This story is inspired by our little farm in Mindoro during my childhood days.

Hope you’ll like it. Here’s my story:

One windy afternoon, as the mother hen and her chicks are hurrying to return to the farmer's nipa hut to avoid the sudden gusts of amihan (or the strong trade winds), one of the chicks decided he doesn’t want to leave the farm yet. “You are all cowards,” he said to the other chicks. “After all, all I have to do is hide under the talahib grass to avoid the sudden gusts of amihan.” 

Soon, however, strong amihan winds blow and he realized he cannot make it to the talahib grass to hide. The first wind gust throws him nearby a rushing river with grazing carabaos. He realized that, just another wind blow will throw him in the river and will mean instant drowning. 

He just closed his eyes just as he heard the coming wind, buzzing like bees. Just seconds before the strong wind came; a carabao walked by and shits directly over the chick. The carabao’s shit covered the chick’s body, saving his life. 

He was very happy to be alive and he happily chirped and tweeted, until a passing eagle noticed him. The eagle quickly do a deadly aerial dive towards him, clawed him out of the shit and ate him.

So what’s my point here?

• Well first, those who throw shits on us are not necessarily our enemy.

• Second, not everyone who help us get out of the mess is necessarily our friends. 

Do you agree? Please share you story on the comments section.

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Image Credit:  Dmitriy Polyakov's Illustration

Starting Today, Be Afraid that Your Life Will Never Begin

As I go on with this crazy life, I learned that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let me down probably will.

I had my heart broken more than once and it's harder every time. I learn to break hearts too – only to regret it because it always reminds me how it felt when mine was broken.

I fight with my friends. I blame a new relationship for things an old one did.

I can’t understand why time is passing too fast: I'll eventually lose someone I love.

So, starting today, I will take too many pictures, I will blog too much, I will laugh too much, and love like I’ve never been hurt because every sixty seconds I spend upset is a minute of happiness I'll never get back.

To those who are taking time reading my posts, don’t commit the mistakes I did.

Don't be afraid that your life will end, be afraid that it will never begin.

What will you do if someone throw shits on you?

Maybe you already came across this story, but I like to share it here anyway and add a few comments.

The story goes like this:

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do.

Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.

He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up.

As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up.

Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

They say this is the moral of the story:

People love shoveling dirt on us, all kinds of dirty stuff. The trick: shake it off and take a step up – make each trouble a steppingstone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.

But of course, if they throw shits on you, you just cannot shake it off and step on it. 

Now here’s my own version of the story’s ending

The donkey later came back, and bit the farmer who had tried to bury him. The gash from the bite got infected and the farmer eventually died in agony from septic shock.

The true moral of the story:

When you do something wrong, and try to cover your ass, it always comes back to bite you.

I want to hear your own story or any thoughts on how you deal with those who loves throwing dirty stuff on you – hope you didn’t bite them!

A special place in hell...

…is reserved for my board mate who approaches as I am eating my favorite pack of potato chips on a boring rainy Sunday afternoon, that only contains three chips left and asks, “Hey bro, can I have one?”

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*This is my random record of anything that annoys me. I had this idea last night to post "A special place in hell..." series on this blog - a weekly post perhaps, just for fun.