A Woman Neglected By Los Baños Police After Harassed By Abusive Guy
A woman named Joyce was sexually harassed by an abusive guy in a public vehicle, but the police officers of Los Baños neglected her.
Nowadays, the case of sexual harassment among women has been increasing rapidly due to different reasons. Authorities should not neglect these harassments for it cause fear and trauma to the women in the society.
A Facebook user named “Kurosh Sigari Avendano” has shared a story of a woman named Joyce who was sexually harassed by a guy estimated aging over 40 and above, but neglected by Los Baños Police.
Avendano wrote that Joyce was riding a jeepney from Bay, Laguna when she noticed a guy staring at her legs. So she told the man to stop it for she feels embarrassed and the guy stopped it, but when the guy is about getting off at Olivarez he suddenly touched her legs.
Joyce shouted, hit the guy, and take a photograph of him but no one helped her although a LBTMO was standing on his post. Unfortunately, the suspect was able to escape Joyce and the police who though that it was only a brother-sister fight.
The LBTMO told Joyce could prevent the incident if she does preventive measures, but the victim rebuked them and said she was still in the state of shock and can’t get over what happened so they have no right to talk to her that way.
LBTMO Arthur Apolinario and other police officers angrily replied “aba kung ganyan ka, matapang, tinutulungan ka na nga lang bahala ka magisa.” A few moments later they invited Joyce at the police station.
The police officer questioned Joyce of what happened and arrogantly treated her during the interrogation. So the victim decided to leave and asked for the name of the policewoman, but she refused to give it and finally leave the police station without inappropriate action to arrest the suspect. The full name of the victim and the suspect was not yet identified.
Here’s the full story:
“Yesterday, sumakay si Joyce sa jeep from Bay, Laguna. She noticed this guy sa picture, staring at her. Patagal ng patagal nagsstare na sa may legs niya, so pinagsabihan niya yung guy na tumigil kasi hindi na siya comfortable and nababastusan na siya. The guy stopped staring tapos nung pababa na yung guy sa Olivarez, hinipuan niya sa legs si Joyce. Nagmadali maglakad palayo yung guy but fortunately, nahabol ni Joyce. Nasapak siya, napicturan, at sinigawan. No one helped, although may LTMO na nakatayo malapit sa kung saan naabutan ni Joyce yung lalaki, sa may Novo, when he was asked, akala niya daw kasi magkapatid lang. Nakatakas parin yung guy, so pumunta si Joyce sa may police near mercury drug. Pagkatapos nila i radio yung description ng lalaki na nangbastos, one LBTMO appointed there, told her na dapat ganto ginawa mo, dapat ganyan ginawa mo, and said “pambihirang tao ka naman” to Joyce who was still in shock, crying. Joyce told them na hindi nila pwedeng sabihan siya ng mga ganung bagay kasi nga she was shocked and under stress, when the LBTMO Arthur Apolinario and others heard this, they said “aba kung ganyan ka, matapang, tinutulungan ka na nga lang bahala ka magisa”. After a few minutes, I arrived near sa mercury drug store. I was asking Joyce the details of what happened, when it happened, where it happened, and the features of that effin guy. The policeman suddenly shouted angrily while I was talking to Joyce. ” teka teka teka nga, sumakay ka nalang muna (police car)” I responded back. “teka lang din, naguusap kàmi, at wag mo ko sigawan.” He responded back, asking me kung sino ba daw ako. I simply told him that there’s no need to shout at me, and also I asked, if tutulungan niya ba kami ng maayos or hindi, kasi kung hindi, ako nalang maghahanap magisa. Nag sorry tapos ayon hinanap namin but unfortunately, hindi namin nahanap. Hinatid kami sa police station para mag report. After namin pumasok sa room, bigla nagsusungit at nagsisisigaw yung policewoman. “Ano nagyare??” “Hinipuan??” Then tinitigan ako at sinigawan “ikaw ba nanghipo, ha?!” I was like, excuse me?? You are policemen, you should be patient and should always be respectful. I tried to explain to her what happened kasi when she asked Joyce kung ano nangyari at pag nagkkwento, nababara lang kasi sunod sunod yung tanong habang di pa tapos mag kwento at magsalita si Joyce, pero pinilit niya ko palabasin at manahimik kasi hindi naman daw ako kasama nung nangyari. Nagsalita si Joyce na kung pwede magkwento siya ng dere derecho bago magtanong yung policewoman. After telling the policewoman what happened, she asked, “sa hita ka lang hinipuan?”. Joyce responded, “lang? Ano pong sa hita lang?” That’s when we decided na umalis at hiningi namin pangalan ng policewoman para mapareport. Pero she refused to tell us at nagkwento siya ng nag kwento/nagsumbong sa isa pang policeman. Umalis na kami ng tuluyan.
It happens every day to different people. Everyone should speak out. Let us help each other even though we’re in a generation that’s fcked up. Let us not let them. Let us make them pay for it, and let us put a stop to it.
If they can’t help us, you can. Please share.”
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