At the height of controversy surrounding police brutality allegedly involving a police officer torturing a suspected robber, the seeming incompetence of the police has come to light once more, this time to the international community and earning sharp criticism from folks here in Singapore. The Philippine National Police's reputation may be tarnished, but at a time when the PNP was given the chance to shine before the international community, its name sunk even deeper.
No wonder local Hong Kong people were quick to criticize the Philippine police force as they quickly trooped to social networking sites in solidarity and expressed sympathy to those who perished and were traumatized by the incident. They see how the Hong Kong Police act on situations like this and come out as heroes. They may not be perfect but they get the job done most of the time.
Last night thousands of households were glued to their television sets like us, anxiously waiting for developments in a hostage crisis that went awfully wrong. As I write this blog this morning, I am sure people are heading towards their daily supply of tabloids to get a clearer understanding of what took place in Manila. Maybe questions remain after reading the news stories. Why a police officer no longer in service still got hold of an M-16 rifle? Why it took the police so long to address the drama? Is the media coverage of the hostage taking partly to blame?
Filipino's ask how could an award-winning police officer end up as the bad guy? The hostage taker Rolando Mendoza, was honored in 1986 but dismissed a few years ago over alleged involvement in drug-related crimes and extortion, police said. He took the hostages in an effort to win his job back and have his name cleared.
Maybe it's in the peace-loving patience and easygoing nature of us Filipino's that saw the police wait 12 staggering hours before making a move. If it were in China or the United States, the hostage taker would have been killed much sooner. At times Mr Mendoza looked out of the front door of the bus putting himself at a vantage point perfect for snipers to pull the trigger. And who knows, if the driver did not escape and screamed patay na silang lahat!(everybody is dead!), the hostage drama would have stayed in stalemate.
The new regime of President Noynoy Aquino presented new hope for the Filipino people as he was inaugurated barely two months ago in Quirino Grandstand. That venue would also become the scene of a bloody end to a failed rescue operation of foreign tourists. SCMP, Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang expressed his disappointment over the outcome. The Aquino government issued a statement, but Hong Kong people probably need more answers.
The hostage drama took place in Manila, where supposedly the best equipped and properly trained special forces are ready for deployment. If it happened in a fourth class municipality in the middle of a province in Mindanao, there's a bit of an excuse. Such a messy outcome led to some Filipino's including yours truly to question the integrity and capability of the police force by asking if the real meaning of SWAT is Sorry Wala Akong Training (Sorry I Don't Have Training). And with the arrest of congressman Ronald Singson in Hong Kong for possession of cocaine in recent weeks, Filipino's (at least in social networking sites) offered Singson as the pawn:
Dear Hong Kong,
You can take it out on Ronald Singson.
Be our guest.
Regards,
The Philippines
Hong Kong is a lucrative source of affluent outbound travelers. But the Philippines can no longer expect visitors from the former British colony after a travel ban was issued last night. Such move results in travel agencies taking Boracay, Cebu or Puerto Galera special offers off display. But there could be other repercussions. Filipino domestic helpers may expect a change in how their Hong Kong employers treat them. Filipino tourist's visiting Hong Kong could spend more time talking to immigration officers. We'll see.
No PR job can restore the severely tarnished name of the Philippine National Police in the eyes of Hong Kong people. Too bad there are members of the police force who "serve and protect" the Philippines the right way diligently, yet helplessly find themselves getting dragged into this mess.
As for the Philippine National Police Manila Police District-SWAT) here are 15 ways to totally f**ck up the Manila Hostage Situation:
1. Spend more than 10 hours sitting on your ass without asking for help from a well equipped, well trained team that could've done infinitely better!
2. Hostage taker opens bus door. clear shot to; at least disable the hostage taker. sniper scratching itchy backside or doing something else.. nice.
3. No media lockdown whatsoever.. Hostage taker has real time updates of what the police are doing should he use a portable tv, a tv capable phone, a radio or an internet capable phone. wait.. isnt there a TV on the bus too! really great! hostage taker advantage = 10 police = 0
"talk about fanning the flames! the local media is just as guilty for the deaths of the hostages as the hostage taker in this case.. I hope there's a special place in hell for them."
4. No intel, police have no idea how many hostage taker's are there and what their firearms and positions are. Directional Sound Recorders? Infrared/Thermal Sights? Nope! too "techie" for these guys.
5. Shoot the tires of the bus where hostage taker and hostages are making the situation more desperate for the hostage taker without any clear advantage for the police. How do you plan to negotiate with the hostage taker when you've just shown your intentions?! DUH?!
6. Bring the hostage taker's brother to the scene to aid the negotiator then proceed to harass him in front of international media and within sight of the bus enraging the hostage taker and destabilizing the situation. So much for negotiations.
"and when hostage taker demands that his brother be released or else, ignore it! sweating man on the ground is definitely more important than a man with gun and hostages on bus."
7. Make an assault on the bus with media reporting every move like its f**k*ng Pinoy Big Brother. yeah right, so much for the element of surprise too!
8. Assault the bus with no clear and concise battle plan beyond opening the door. Really a winning combination: "let's open the door and shoot down the hostage taker." grrrrrreeeeaaaat!!!
9. On top of that, no one bothers with controlled plastic explosives on this one to breach the bus. No flash-bangs or night vision either which could've given immense advantage to the police. NOPE! they prefer it ala Chuck Norris style with axes and handguns instead, sweet!
10. Lose the element of surprise further and more valuable time by using an axe to breach the bus' windows and door. send a SWAT member with a beer belly trying to squeeze in the bus too! really inspiring.
"the door of a bus is designed to withstand 50Gs of instantaneous force or more. A hammer will do nothing to break it in one hit. There's an emergency lever under the bus that can be used to open the door. Nobody knew about it. Instead, they proceeded to hammer all sides of the f**k*ng bus like it's a m*th*rf**kin' pinata!
11. After all the element of surprise is lost beyond all hope, dont think of shining a bright searchlight in front or side of bus to at least shed some light on the situation inside the bus and give police situational advantage. but nope, these guys would rather play pin the tail on the donkey.
12. Realize after 30 minutes that the door can be forced off by using a chain connected to a moving car.
13. Abandon the bright but frustratingly late idea when rear emergency door is forced open. Apparently one open door is better than two for these policemen. Two entries could've given the police a positional advantage in a skirmish inside the bus but no.. one door is enough.
14. with the police having no situational advantage whatsoever, proceed to give more advantage to the hostage taker by turning on the vicinity lights. now, that's bright!
15. Think of the tear gas idea after a gazillion minutes of trying to hack down the bus doors with axes. then proceed to storm bus without gas masks. tear gas advantage nullified. nice!
Luckily, some hostages lived through the nightmare.. not because of police competence, but because the hostage taker didn't kill them all even though he was given more than 30 minutes by the police to do so.
Moreover, the hostage taker wasn't asking for a billion dollars and an escape helicopter. He was asking to be given back his job and benefits. If the negotiator and the government at least gave some hope to the hostage taker that his grievances would be listened to, there would've been no dead hostages and all the advantage would switch over to the police and the government "AFTER" the hostage crisis!
Is this the best our country's police forces can do?! Are these the people that are supposed to protect us?! Was this the best plan that our vaunted SWAT team could come up with?! Jesus Harold Christ! Even Sgt. Hondo can't take this..I've played harder more well though-out Airsoft Wargames and Counterstrike games with my 10 year old son!
...so when its not an ordinary non-air-con bus, we're out of luck ei?
Oh dear Santa, i'm sending you an early Christmas wish: "please, please, please make someone accountable for this bloody fiasco!
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Happy Birthday Mom
this was supposed to be a status message/shout-out for my Facebook profile but it was too long and exceeded FB's character limit so i post it here as an entry instead;
"Happy Birthday Mom"
..if there is any word or line greater than how lucky and thankful I'am for having you as my Mother and Me as your Son; that would be it! i wish and pray to God that He keep you safe and give you long life :)
words cant explain how much I love You, I miss and thought of you every single day of my life here in SG.
Aurora Matanguihan Flores, you are my pillar of strength..thank you for understanding and always believing in me. you have always been my biggest fan and critic. thank you for in times when i was waging war on myself, you're always there to stop the fight.. and like a baby boy, i never was a man. but you have mold and taught me to be one..:)
God bless you always.. I LOVE YOU OH SO VERY MUCH!
"Happy Birthday Mom"
..if there is any word or line greater than how lucky and thankful I'am for having you as my Mother and Me as your Son; that would be it! i wish and pray to God that He keep you safe and give you long life :)
words cant explain how much I love You, I miss and thought of you every single day of my life here in SG.
Aurora Matanguihan Flores, you are my pillar of strength..thank you for understanding and always believing in me. you have always been my biggest fan and critic. thank you for in times when i was waging war on myself, you're always there to stop the fight.. and like a baby boy, i never was a man. but you have mold and taught me to be one..:)
God bless you always.. I LOVE YOU OH SO VERY MUCH!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Your Failures Do Not Define You
I'm off today..where it was supposed to be on Sunday. so anyway, i'm here stuck in my room tapping my keyboard while listening to Bob Marley's "Three Little Birds" (don't worry, about a thing.. coz every little things, gonna be alright). Yea, I've been down and out lately, frustrated and depressed. well, as they say; "shit happens" and i'm thankful that somehow im coping with it..otherwise i wouldn't be typing this entry that i hope somehow will make y'all say; "ya, there's still sunshine in the gloomy days."
Successful people love to talk about failure. From Ray Bradbury ("You fail only if you stop") to Melville ("He who has never failed somewhere; that man can never be great") and beyond, failure is an old and familiar subject. Oprah talks about her failed stint as a news reporter. Julia Roberts remembers failing to be cast in All My Children. In retrospect, it seems, the famous are all hopelessly nostalgic for the failures of their past. But, in the moment of our own letdown and disappointment, we can convince ourselves that no one else has ever failed quite as exceptionally as we have. So, how to change this paralyzing perception?
Think biology. There's a component of the brain, somewhere in the forefront, that is responsible for cataloging all of the things we have tried that have not quite worked out. The brain can then flip through this Rolodex of learning moments to make a split second determination for how we should proceed in the presence of a new situation - whether we should drive on E or wear super-dooper-ultra-mega-baduy outfit on a first date, for example. Picture rats learning to race through mazes in search of cheese, babies learning to walk and talk, newborn birds warbling mating songs. We experiment, apply what we have learned, and try again. From that perspective, are the majority of failures really that big of a deal? Think about it - Apollo 13, with its technical malfunctions and its quick-thinking MacGyver-like crew, was termed; "a successful failure."
Failure is just an intrinsic part of the innovation process - as in the abysmally cheerful refrain of; If at first you don't succeed, try, try again godamnit! For, if you are hard at work on a problem, and are busy discovering all of the things that your work is not, you might finally stumble upon that which it is. Through your stumbling, you may come to understand the intricacy of your subject in a greater depth - or an entirely different light - that would not have been possible had the path been straight and unencumbered. (Hmmm.. sound somewhat like life itself huh? Doesn't choosing that road less traveled sometimes make all the difference?) Think Play-Doh and Post-It-Notes - Play-Doh was meant to be a wallpaper cleaner and Post-It-Notes were meant to be a super-adhesive. Remember, it took Dyson 5,127 prototypes to finally produce a cyclonic vacuum that people would buy, and legend has it that Thomas Edison, in search of a suitable filament for the incandescent light bulb, said; "I have not failed. I have merely found 1000 ways that wont work."
I imagine sometime around the 70th cyclonic vacuum failure anyone would want to sit down and have a frank discussion on whether they should continue or not. So, the other critical component here is believing in ourselves, having the ability to pick ourselves up when were down, and the presence of mind to know when to listen and when not to listen to all of those critics. The FedEx business plan initially received a "C" at Yale for lack of feasibility. Einstein, Darwin, Churchill, and Newton were all told they wouldn't amount to anything. Mary Kay was passed over for promotion - because she was a woman. Louisa May Alcott's family encouraged her to work as a servant.
It is hard, whoever we are, to look within ourselves and feel any measure of success as we attempt to bring to the forefront that which resides inside us. It is difficult to pursue a dream - to slog through its challenges and setbacks - but, back to Bradbury - "you fail only if you stop." Remember: Gertrude Stein submitted poems for 20 years before one was accepted.
Failure is necessary because it is what breeds and rewards perseverance and individual thought. Those who are truly dedicated fight through the failure and rise to the top, and so, in so many arenas, it is the ability to learn from our mistakes that gives us the best product, and it is individual persistence (and standing up and shaking ourselves off) that lets us percolate up through the crowds. There is nothing magical about either of those things. They are both learned traits, possibly involving little more than the minor opthamalogical trick of changing the lens through which we view ourselves.
See, i'm good at giving out this blab's of mine. So take it and i wont mind. Have a good day everyone :D
credits:
"thanks to the Iranian guy (i think his name is Abtin) who sell's carpets at Arab St. for this photo i took a few weeks back."
Successful people love to talk about failure. From Ray Bradbury ("You fail only if you stop") to Melville ("He who has never failed somewhere; that man can never be great") and beyond, failure is an old and familiar subject. Oprah talks about her failed stint as a news reporter. Julia Roberts remembers failing to be cast in All My Children. In retrospect, it seems, the famous are all hopelessly nostalgic for the failures of their past. But, in the moment of our own letdown and disappointment, we can convince ourselves that no one else has ever failed quite as exceptionally as we have. So, how to change this paralyzing perception?
Think biology. There's a component of the brain, somewhere in the forefront, that is responsible for cataloging all of the things we have tried that have not quite worked out. The brain can then flip through this Rolodex of learning moments to make a split second determination for how we should proceed in the presence of a new situation - whether we should drive on E or wear super-dooper-ultra-mega-baduy outfit on a first date, for example. Picture rats learning to race through mazes in search of cheese, babies learning to walk and talk, newborn birds warbling mating songs. We experiment, apply what we have learned, and try again. From that perspective, are the majority of failures really that big of a deal? Think about it - Apollo 13, with its technical malfunctions and its quick-thinking MacGyver-like crew, was termed; "a successful failure."
Failure is just an intrinsic part of the innovation process - as in the abysmally cheerful refrain of; If at first you don't succeed, try, try again godamnit! For, if you are hard at work on a problem, and are busy discovering all of the things that your work is not, you might finally stumble upon that which it is. Through your stumbling, you may come to understand the intricacy of your subject in a greater depth - or an entirely different light - that would not have been possible had the path been straight and unencumbered. (Hmmm.. sound somewhat like life itself huh? Doesn't choosing that road less traveled sometimes make all the difference?) Think Play-Doh and Post-It-Notes - Play-Doh was meant to be a wallpaper cleaner and Post-It-Notes were meant to be a super-adhesive. Remember, it took Dyson 5,127 prototypes to finally produce a cyclonic vacuum that people would buy, and legend has it that Thomas Edison, in search of a suitable filament for the incandescent light bulb, said; "I have not failed. I have merely found 1000 ways that wont work."
I imagine sometime around the 70th cyclonic vacuum failure anyone would want to sit down and have a frank discussion on whether they should continue or not. So, the other critical component here is believing in ourselves, having the ability to pick ourselves up when were down, and the presence of mind to know when to listen and when not to listen to all of those critics. The FedEx business plan initially received a "C" at Yale for lack of feasibility. Einstein, Darwin, Churchill, and Newton were all told they wouldn't amount to anything. Mary Kay was passed over for promotion - because she was a woman. Louisa May Alcott's family encouraged her to work as a servant.
It is hard, whoever we are, to look within ourselves and feel any measure of success as we attempt to bring to the forefront that which resides inside us. It is difficult to pursue a dream - to slog through its challenges and setbacks - but, back to Bradbury - "you fail only if you stop." Remember: Gertrude Stein submitted poems for 20 years before one was accepted.
Failure is necessary because it is what breeds and rewards perseverance and individual thought. Those who are truly dedicated fight through the failure and rise to the top, and so, in so many arenas, it is the ability to learn from our mistakes that gives us the best product, and it is individual persistence (and standing up and shaking ourselves off) that lets us percolate up through the crowds. There is nothing magical about either of those things. They are both learned traits, possibly involving little more than the minor opthamalogical trick of changing the lens through which we view ourselves.
See, i'm good at giving out this blab's of mine. So take it and i wont mind. Have a good day everyone :D
credits:
"thanks to the Iranian guy (i think his name is Abtin) who sell's carpets at Arab St. for this photo i took a few weeks back."
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Kung Pilipino Ka, Basahin Mo 'To (If You're A Filipino, Read This)
"Death to drug traffickers under Singapore law". These words scream to me and every other passenger on a flight from Manila when i came to Singapore 3 1/2 years ago. Right next to "Welcome to Singapore, they were. In RED to boot. Not even 'The Super Clean Country' like Singapore was trumped up to be. But "Death..." And In Red and bolded. These words never came back to existence in my mind until today as I'm typing this entry.
While im not keen in writing grieviance blogs especially when it involves Singapore knowing the country's strict laws on freedom of expression particularly in internet and print media for that matter, i just cant help but tell this story that yours truly and my two cousins have experienced today.
We had heard a lot of good things about Singapore but this is goin to be something different and i assume not-so-new. My wife recently gave birth to our second child so we decided to ask one of my cousin from the Philippines to come here to help us look after the baby for at least a month until my wife gets back to work per se' .. Luckily one of my cousin agreed to give us a helping hand and decided to come here together with another cousin together on the same day and flight.
With visions of bazaars, city parks, lots of greenery and a laid-back but professional atmosphere, we were rather excited. Expectations were running high. The Changi Airport Arrival Terminal-1 was "nice", nice'. Clean, landscaped, airy. They came via XX delayed flight XX from Manila around 09:45am (airline name and flight withheld for obvious reasons)
[Stop!} Due to the nature of the events about to unfold, i choose, for easier writing, to borrow from Keifer Sutherland's award-winning drama '24' and title this section '4½'.
"The following takes place between 10:30 am and 2:30 pm"
Changi Airport Arrival Terminal-1
At this point my cousins were in high spirits. Happy to be in a sub- tropical country! Little did they know what Singapore had in store for them especially my Cousin-1...
They bounce up to the lady at the immigration counter and handed over their passports and immigration forms. Cousin-2 is cleared first, her passport stamped and returned to her. The lady refers Cousin-1 "for routine checking" to a special immigration desk of the hall. Cousin-2, concerned, moves away to baggage carousel. Cousin-1 is escorted by an immigration officer, bespectacled and a gimp (name withheld but we'll call him Officer X), to an enclosed holding area. The room is tiny and rectangular and contains only 3 chairs. The door is locked from the outside. There is no door handle on the inside and there is no window except for a small glass square set high in the door. The glass square contains metal wires. Twenty minutes pass.
Outside, Cousin-2 stands with her luggages. Worried. Pacing. "I'm sorry Ma'am but you can't stay here", she hears. Turning around she sees a female security officer. "But i'm waiting for my cousin. she is still in there", Cousin-2 said pointing at the closed room. "This is a restricted area. You will have to wait outside". There was no arguing with her. Cousin-2 exits.
Enter an immigration officer. Not Officer X. He escorts Cousin-1 to another room. There is a big computer screen on the wall, a keyboard and some sort of pad. The officer lifts Cousin-1's hand and places it on the pad. He is taking fingerprints. First the left thumb and then the right. He taps away at a keyboard, clicks with a mouse and then 'No Matches Found' appears on the screen. Cousin-1 is escorted back to the holding area. Forty-five additional minutes pass.
Cousin-2 is worried. Very worried. An officer comes to inform Cousin-2 that they will not allow Cousin-1 to enter Singapore and that they will detain her. She gets coins and call the Tourism Hotline. They say that they can't help and that it is an immigration matter. She calls up three numbers asking for their assistance, for which she would pay, and for a good immigration lawyer. They deny assistance. One says "get a criminal lawyer. Maybe your cousin has drugs' or partly because shes a Filipina, they suspected her as a prostitute." "She's is NOT a prostitute.. She doesn't have drugs." Cousin-2 almost screams into the handset but to no avail. She wonders whatever happened to the lawyers' code which obliged them to render legal assistance. With no other options, she calls the Philippine Embassy for advice. Their emergency number is unanswered. She is very upset now. A total of 2 hours have passed.
Officer X escorts Cousin-1 back to the counter in the immigration hall.
X: "Why did you come to Singapore?"
C1: "For Holiday, same time i will be helping out my cousin who just gave birth"
X: "Where will you stay"?
C1: "my cousin's house" *pulls out my invitation letter (my name and address also given).
X: "How long will you stay here?"
C1: "1 month hopefuly".
X: "do you have money?"
C1: "yes"
X: "Do you have a ticket?" C1 hands over the e-ticket printout.
x: "How do you intend to pay for your stay here?"
C1: "my cousin will bear all expenses". X reads my invitation letter again.
There is a pause. A long pause. The officer reads thoroughly before her. Another pause.
X: "I'm sorry but you are not eligible for social admittance. We will detain you and arrange deportation".
C1: "What? Why? Where to? When? Why?" I have a sponsor, more than enough money, a confirmed return flight in 30 days and I don't need a visa for Singapore. Why?" she is flabbergasted.
X: "You will get official paperwork and I will have to talk to the airlines".
C1: "Can I call a lawyer and also speak to my cousins. they're waiting for me outside?"
X: "You don't need a lawyer. You are not under arrest. I will see what I can do about your cousins". He escorts cousin-1 back into the holding area. Total elapsed time: 2 hours 45 minutes.
Cousin-2 visits the Terminal Manager's office and insists on meeting him. He listens and lends her his office phone. She tries calling more lawyers but without success. Its Saturday and is even a bigger concern. Plus, it is getting late and all the law offices are closed or closing. She asks the Terminal Manager (name withheld) to see what's going on and if he could lend any assistance. He consents. The pangs of hunger start setting in for both Cousin-2 and me. The only meal was breakfast from a lousy food stall that sell a unjustified ceazar salad which i never finished. Cousin-2 and I have not yet been allowed to talk to Cousin-1. Time check: 12:45pm.
Cousin-1 is back at the counter. The Terminal Manager is now present. He tells that he is in touch with Cousin-2 and that she knows the situation. The officer has consulted with the airlines.
X: "We have no immediate flights. Therefore, we will hold you for few more hours and deport you to country on flight no. XX (number withheld)".
Cousin-1: "What? You mean you will detain me only to send me out of Singapore on the SAME flight I am originally booked to travel on?"
X: "Yes. In the meantime, I have prepared transfer papers for you and this officer (a new arrival) will escort you to another place. You will be more comfortable there". He hands the transfer papers to the new officer and motions for the officer to leave thru a back door.
Cousin-1, who had been uncharacteristically calm throughout the entire ordeal, now became ever so slightly agitated. "I am not leaving this building until you inform me why you are detaining me when I surpass your entry requirements. Plus, I need to speak to my cousins and a lawyer. Why are you detaining me? What have I done wrong?" The officer didn't answer. "I believe I have a right under law to be informed about the reason for your refusal to admit me into Singapore. Why are you detaining me? I have a sponsor here...", Cousin-1 demanded while rehashing a previous defense. The officer whispers to a nearby colleague and then he picks up the phone. Time expired: 4 hours.
Cousin-2 is livid. The Terminal Manager has not returned. She feels helpless. She prays.
Inside, Cousin-1 prays silently too. After a long telephone conversation in a language Cousin-1 did not understand: "We've decided to give you the benefit of the doubt. We will issue you a Special Pass after which you are to leave Singapore", the officer informs taking the transfer papers back from the new officer. The new officer exits. Cousin-1 hides her elation. "What doubt?", she persists but quickly eases up. She wants to get outside to see us. Officer X types up a Special Form and hands a copy to Cousin-1. She is free to go..but not to see us, but to get back to Manila. Her passport was not stamped in.
Tick tock tick tock. Time expired: 4½ hours
The Aftermath
I left the airport and left Cousin-2 there as she was waiting for another friend coming from the next arriving flight form Manila. I grabbed a cab and the driver noticed my stress and inquired. "my cousin had hard time clearing immigration, was denied entry and then sent back to Manila", I said. "It's like that sometimes. You're out now. Just forget it and go shopping", he replies. "Go shopping? Go shopping? Singapore wouldn't get my hard-earned money." They don't deserve it! I would not even send my neighbour's mangy dog here", I vented at the driver. He thought about apologizing. He didn't.
As im typing this, im thinking; should i write an official complaint letter via email to the Quality Service Manager of the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority and CCed it to several other high-ranking public officials who had anything remotely to do with ICA and unlawful detentions. But heck, why would i do that? When i can clearly predict they will just send me back a reply saying : that they will investigate the matter and get back to me. *if thats ever gonna happen*
Bottom line is, "The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority of Singapore SUCKS! yea, you read it right..you SUCK! UNREASONABLE, OVER-CLEVER AND INCONSIDERATE! how could you say a person is a potential prostitute just because the person is a Filipina and sports a sexy outfit? Filipino's are not the only prostitutes here in Singapore. have you seen how many China, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam girls selling themselves as prostitutes in Geylang and Orchard Plaza/Towers as prostitutes?? this does not include your local girls openly offering sexual services on the internet via local escorting websites, and oh..let me not forget to mention *you're beloved* "Ang-Mo's"(caucasian's) who are high-class hookers loitering in 5-star hotel lounge/lobby's. How can you say a person is a poor worker just because that person cannot speak proper English? **mind you, have you listened to your "Singlish" lately?? why cant you call the sponsor, and not have us waiting for nearly 5hours without even letting us talk or see the person you're detaining/holding? Whats the point in paying S$42.00 for a Stamped/Chopped Invitation Letter at our lame-pathetic Embassy?? Why have these poor deportee's be police-escorted to be humiliated even more inside the plane like criminals when they come here for a good purpose/reason?? How can you generally say that Filipinos come to Singapore only to sell flesh or as Domestic Helpers?? The trouble you cost people is time and money..HARD-EARNED MONEY!!! i need not say more coz it might cost me my.. "PASS??".. but yea, go ahead screw me! i know i cant make this stop and no nobody might not have the interest to read this but at least i'll let people know how full of pigshit you are! I've been working here for almost 4years now, i'm a law abiding citizen, i pay my taxes and represent this country in the industry im working, food and beverage/customer service your own people cannot fill that you rely on us foreign workers to take part..this "Thankless Job." ..and this is how you treat us back?! Jesus Harold Christ!!!
While im not keen in writing grieviance blogs especially when it involves Singapore knowing the country's strict laws on freedom of expression particularly in internet and print media for that matter, i just cant help but tell this story that yours truly and my two cousins have experienced today.
We had heard a lot of good things about Singapore but this is goin to be something different and i assume not-so-new. My wife recently gave birth to our second child so we decided to ask one of my cousin from the Philippines to come here to help us look after the baby for at least a month until my wife gets back to work per se' .. Luckily one of my cousin agreed to give us a helping hand and decided to come here together with another cousin together on the same day and flight.
With visions of bazaars, city parks, lots of greenery and a laid-back but professional atmosphere, we were rather excited. Expectations were running high. The Changi Airport Arrival Terminal-1 was "nice", nice'. Clean, landscaped, airy. They came via XX delayed flight XX from Manila around 09:45am (airline name and flight withheld for obvious reasons)
[Stop!} Due to the nature of the events about to unfold, i choose, for easier writing, to borrow from Keifer Sutherland's award-winning drama '24' and title this section '4½'.
"The following takes place between 10:30 am and 2:30 pm"
Changi Airport Arrival Terminal-1
At this point my cousins were in high spirits. Happy to be in a sub- tropical country! Little did they know what Singapore had in store for them especially my Cousin-1...
They bounce up to the lady at the immigration counter and handed over their passports and immigration forms. Cousin-2 is cleared first, her passport stamped and returned to her. The lady refers Cousin-1 "for routine checking" to a special immigration desk of the hall. Cousin-2, concerned, moves away to baggage carousel. Cousin-1 is escorted by an immigration officer, bespectacled and a gimp (name withheld but we'll call him Officer X), to an enclosed holding area. The room is tiny and rectangular and contains only 3 chairs. The door is locked from the outside. There is no door handle on the inside and there is no window except for a small glass square set high in the door. The glass square contains metal wires. Twenty minutes pass.
Outside, Cousin-2 stands with her luggages. Worried. Pacing. "I'm sorry Ma'am but you can't stay here", she hears. Turning around she sees a female security officer. "But i'm waiting for my cousin. she is still in there", Cousin-2 said pointing at the closed room. "This is a restricted area. You will have to wait outside". There was no arguing with her. Cousin-2 exits.
Enter an immigration officer. Not Officer X. He escorts Cousin-1 to another room. There is a big computer screen on the wall, a keyboard and some sort of pad. The officer lifts Cousin-1's hand and places it on the pad. He is taking fingerprints. First the left thumb and then the right. He taps away at a keyboard, clicks with a mouse and then 'No Matches Found' appears on the screen. Cousin-1 is escorted back to the holding area. Forty-five additional minutes pass.
Cousin-2 is worried. Very worried. An officer comes to inform Cousin-2 that they will not allow Cousin-1 to enter Singapore and that they will detain her. She gets coins and call the Tourism Hotline. They say that they can't help and that it is an immigration matter. She calls up three numbers asking for their assistance, for which she would pay, and for a good immigration lawyer. They deny assistance. One says "get a criminal lawyer. Maybe your cousin has drugs' or partly because shes a Filipina, they suspected her as a prostitute." "She's is NOT a prostitute.. She doesn't have drugs." Cousin-2 almost screams into the handset but to no avail. She wonders whatever happened to the lawyers' code which obliged them to render legal assistance. With no other options, she calls the Philippine Embassy for advice. Their emergency number is unanswered. She is very upset now. A total of 2 hours have passed.
Officer X escorts Cousin-1 back to the counter in the immigration hall.
X: "Why did you come to Singapore?"
C1: "For Holiday, same time i will be helping out my cousin who just gave birth"
X: "Where will you stay"?
C1: "my cousin's house" *pulls out my invitation letter (my name and address also given).
X: "How long will you stay here?"
C1: "1 month hopefuly".
X: "do you have money?"
C1: "yes"
X: "Do you have a ticket?" C1 hands over the e-ticket printout.
x: "How do you intend to pay for your stay here?"
C1: "my cousin will bear all expenses". X reads my invitation letter again.
There is a pause. A long pause. The officer reads thoroughly before her. Another pause.
X: "I'm sorry but you are not eligible for social admittance. We will detain you and arrange deportation".
C1: "What? Why? Where to? When? Why?" I have a sponsor, more than enough money, a confirmed return flight in 30 days and I don't need a visa for Singapore. Why?" she is flabbergasted.
X: "You will get official paperwork and I will have to talk to the airlines".
C1: "Can I call a lawyer and also speak to my cousins. they're waiting for me outside?"
X: "You don't need a lawyer. You are not under arrest. I will see what I can do about your cousins". He escorts cousin-1 back into the holding area. Total elapsed time: 2 hours 45 minutes.
Cousin-2 visits the Terminal Manager's office and insists on meeting him. He listens and lends her his office phone. She tries calling more lawyers but without success. Its Saturday and is even a bigger concern. Plus, it is getting late and all the law offices are closed or closing. She asks the Terminal Manager (name withheld) to see what's going on and if he could lend any assistance. He consents. The pangs of hunger start setting in for both Cousin-2 and me. The only meal was breakfast from a lousy food stall that sell a unjustified ceazar salad which i never finished. Cousin-2 and I have not yet been allowed to talk to Cousin-1. Time check: 12:45pm.
Cousin-1 is back at the counter. The Terminal Manager is now present. He tells that he is in touch with Cousin-2 and that she knows the situation. The officer has consulted with the airlines.
X: "We have no immediate flights. Therefore, we will hold you for few more hours and deport you to country on flight no. XX (number withheld)".
Cousin-1: "What? You mean you will detain me only to send me out of Singapore on the SAME flight I am originally booked to travel on?"
X: "Yes. In the meantime, I have prepared transfer papers for you and this officer (a new arrival) will escort you to another place. You will be more comfortable there". He hands the transfer papers to the new officer and motions for the officer to leave thru a back door.
Cousin-1, who had been uncharacteristically calm throughout the entire ordeal, now became ever so slightly agitated. "I am not leaving this building until you inform me why you are detaining me when I surpass your entry requirements. Plus, I need to speak to my cousins and a lawyer. Why are you detaining me? What have I done wrong?" The officer didn't answer. "I believe I have a right under law to be informed about the reason for your refusal to admit me into Singapore. Why are you detaining me? I have a sponsor here...", Cousin-1 demanded while rehashing a previous defense. The officer whispers to a nearby colleague and then he picks up the phone. Time expired: 4 hours.
Cousin-2 is livid. The Terminal Manager has not returned. She feels helpless. She prays.
Inside, Cousin-1 prays silently too. After a long telephone conversation in a language Cousin-1 did not understand: "We've decided to give you the benefit of the doubt. We will issue you a Special Pass after which you are to leave Singapore", the officer informs taking the transfer papers back from the new officer. The new officer exits. Cousin-1 hides her elation. "What doubt?", she persists but quickly eases up. She wants to get outside to see us. Officer X types up a Special Form and hands a copy to Cousin-1. She is free to go..but not to see us, but to get back to Manila. Her passport was not stamped in.
Tick tock tick tock. Time expired: 4½ hours
The Aftermath
I left the airport and left Cousin-2 there as she was waiting for another friend coming from the next arriving flight form Manila. I grabbed a cab and the driver noticed my stress and inquired. "my cousin had hard time clearing immigration, was denied entry and then sent back to Manila", I said. "It's like that sometimes. You're out now. Just forget it and go shopping", he replies. "Go shopping? Go shopping? Singapore wouldn't get my hard-earned money." They don't deserve it! I would not even send my neighbour's mangy dog here", I vented at the driver. He thought about apologizing. He didn't.
As im typing this, im thinking; should i write an official complaint letter via email to the Quality Service Manager of the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority and CCed it to several other high-ranking public officials who had anything remotely to do with ICA and unlawful detentions. But heck, why would i do that? When i can clearly predict they will just send me back a reply saying : that they will investigate the matter and get back to me. *if thats ever gonna happen*
Bottom line is, "The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority of Singapore SUCKS! yea, you read it right..you SUCK! UNREASONABLE, OVER-CLEVER AND INCONSIDERATE! how could you say a person is a potential prostitute just because the person is a Filipina and sports a sexy outfit? Filipino's are not the only prostitutes here in Singapore. have you seen how many China, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam girls selling themselves as prostitutes in Geylang and Orchard Plaza/Towers as prostitutes?? this does not include your local girls openly offering sexual services on the internet via local escorting websites, and oh..let me not forget to mention *you're beloved* "Ang-Mo's"(caucasian's) who are high-class hookers loitering in 5-star hotel lounge/lobby's. How can you say a person is a poor worker just because that person cannot speak proper English? **mind you, have you listened to your "Singlish" lately?? why cant you call the sponsor, and not have us waiting for nearly 5hours without even letting us talk or see the person you're detaining/holding? Whats the point in paying S$42.00 for a Stamped/Chopped Invitation Letter at our lame-pathetic Embassy?? Why have these poor deportee's be police-escorted to be humiliated even more inside the plane like criminals when they come here for a good purpose/reason?? How can you generally say that Filipinos come to Singapore only to sell flesh or as Domestic Helpers?? The trouble you cost people is time and money..HARD-EARNED MONEY!!! i need not say more coz it might cost me my.. "PASS??".. but yea, go ahead screw me! i know i cant make this stop and no nobody might not have the interest to read this but at least i'll let people know how full of pigshit you are! I've been working here for almost 4years now, i'm a law abiding citizen, i pay my taxes and represent this country in the industry im working, food and beverage/customer service your own people cannot fill that you rely on us foreign workers to take part..this "Thankless Job." ..and this is how you treat us back?! Jesus Harold Christ!!!
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