Rhelyn Harder
- Netizens had a bad feeling while riding the van going to Lupon
- They make an excuse to get off
- They were taken on another route
A Facebook user named James Clouded Leopard shared his traumatic experience together with his brother Rex, his brother’s girlfriend Mei, and Mei’s sister Mary while riding a van going to Lupon.
Around 9:30 in the evening, their original plan was to go home at Lupon to take their rest for Mati escapade the following day. So, his sister with her boyfriend brought them to Matina bus stop to wait for a bus going to Lupon.
Along the way, there were three vans waiting for passengers, but they still wanted to ride a bus because they know it is much safer. Aside from that, James had a past traumatic experience when the van he was riding in got into an accident, though luckily he only sustained minor injuries then.
“di na talaga ako sumasakay ng van pag ganitong byahe from Davao to Lupon dahil sa previous traumatic experience ko nang madigrasya ang van na sinakyan ko way back 2012”
During that moment, his sister and her boyfriend wanted to bring to the ecoland terminal but that time he was enticed to ride a van, maybe because he was already tired. So, they started asking two of the vans for their route but they were told they only went to Tagum. They were also told that there was seldom any vans venturing out late at night. But the third van they found in a very secluded area immediately agreed to drive them to Lupon which they found a bit weird.
“bihira o wala na talagang nagbabyahe nang ganong kadisoras na ng gabi pero nong lumapit kami sa pinakadulo at maliblib na lugar na may isang white van pa ay biglang um-oo kaagad ang driver at conductor na babyahe sila paLupon without hesitation and negotiation, which is wierd pero kami naman ay sumakay lang din.”
When they entered the van, the driver was already inside with a male passenger wearing a mask beside him. Behind the driver, there were two men seated in the front row. One of them had a bucket.
““ay’g kabalaka! Kami nay bahala!” (Wag kang mag-alala, kami na bahala sa kanila!)” the dispatcher said, assuring them they would get to Lupon.
Before they left, a blonde-haired girl entered the van and sat beside the two men. They could not see the girl’s face because of the was light off. They were seated at the back and there was a total of 10 people inside the van. James felt uneasy and asked his friends to pray for their safety. They noticed the two male passengers in front casting looks their way. His brother Rex was also uneasy and kept trying to get him to read a message on their phone but he was too busy praying to notice.
“Yong di ko maipaliwanag na feeling ay dinaan ko sa dasal while itong kapatid ko naman ay di rin mapakali at siko ng siko sakin at may ipapabasa sana sakin sa phone niya na binalewala ko lang dahil nagdarasal ako ng paulit2x, ‘Lord, keep us safe. Lord, keep us safe. Lord, keep us safe.'”
Then, James notices that his brother was very uneasy. After five minutes, Mary suddenly said that she wanted to pee. She told the driver if they could stop over a gas station but the driver said, “naku! Magreroute pa po tayo nadaanan na po natin ee.” Then Rex responded loudly, “ngayon pa talaga?!!”
His brother was already looking around and then asked some questions from the conductor. They also noticed that the female passenger suddenly paid her fare wordlessly upon the prodding of another passenger. They noticed that she did not mention her destination and that her fare was accepted without the usual question about it.
Then suddenly Mary shouted once again saying “shiiiiitttt, di lang ako ihing-ihi!!! Taeng-tae na po ako please po ibaba niyo po ako sa may Petron!” Coincidentally, a Petron gasoline station nearby so they were able to alight.
Before going to the comfort room, Rex gave him the phone to let him read the message he wrote saying “Kuya may message si mama.” When he read the message it said, “Baba na tayo may masama akong kutob sa kanila, mamatay tayo dito.” He then realized that his body was paralyzed because of fear.
They soon made excuses to leave the van. He pretended that they forgot their wallets and they don’t have any money for their fare. Rex came back and he also supported the alibi by saying “bro, pasensiya na ha naiwan ang wallet e, bababa nalang kami. Babayaran nalang namin kung magkano man dapat na bayaran.”
After what happened, each one of them shared their own observations which led to believe they were in danger.
“Rex: “ kuya, habang inihatid ko si Mary (sister ng gf niya) sa CR ay sabi niya ‘kuya, di talaga ako naiihi o natatae, naramdaman ko bigla na nasa panganib tayo at magkakakilala at kasabwat ang mga yon kaya nagdrama ako,’ kaya nga nagulat ako at pareho kami ng hinala niya dahil akala ko ako lang ang nakaramdaman kaba at panganib. Pagkasakay palang natin ang dami ng kakaiba sa mga pinakita nila at sitwasyon. 1) ang pwesto ng van nila na nasa lib-lib at pag-alis kaagad na di pa naghihintay ng ibang pasehero at patay pa ang ulaw sa loob. Yong ibang van talagang sinabi na bihira na ang pabyahe na ganun pero sila no hesitation. 2) pagpasok kaagad ng babae na parang may tama (high) pati na ang dalawang pasahero at conductor na sobrang creepy ng actuation. 3.) sumandal ang conductor sa likod na babaeng pasahero na parang in relationship sa sweet. 4) naka-mask na lalake sa harap at panay tinginan nila sa salamin na ilang beses kong nahuhuli na parang nagkakaintindihan sa kung anong gagawin. 5) nahuli ko ang driver at konductor na parang mga demonyong nagtinginan at nagngitian sa isat-isa parang ang sabi “nakajackpot tayo sa dalawang babae.” 6) Pag-abot ng lalaki ng mga kasabwat nila na bente na pamasahe na walang confirmation ng conductor kung saan sila hihinto. 7) pag-excuse nila na walang Petron na maiihian kaya sa damuhan nalang daw. 8 Paghesitate na sagot ng conductor sa mga tanong ko na parang di alam kung magkano mga pamasahe at di na komportable sa interview na ginagawa ko. 9) Biglang pagtawag ng conductor ng mga pasahero na wala namang intensiyon na kumuha kundi pa show lang to gain our trust kasi nahalata na nilang nagdududa na ako. Kuya, lahat ng yon ay napansin ko at napansin din ni Mary kaya i took the chance nong sinabi niya na ihing-ihi na siya kasi iba ang plano ko. Dahil alam ko na 100 percent mamatay na tayo in an hour or two kaya as desperate measure plano kong isabotahe ang pagmamaneho ng driver para maaksidente nalang tayo kasi yon lang ang pwede kong gawin dahil de hado tayo compare sa manpower nila. Aside from that, sobrang wala na akong pakiramdam dahil feeling ko mag-isa ako sa pagharap ng sitwasyon kasi di mo ako pinapansin, mga paghiwatig ko at pagiging unease ko dahil busy ka sa pagdarasal. Kuya hindi pera or bagay ang habol nila. It’s more than that. Si Mei at Mary ang trophy nila sa gabing iyon kasi alam nilang kaya nila tayong dalawa.”
“Mary: “kuya, sobrang takot na takot ako. Pagkasakay palang natin may mga napansin na akong kadudaduda. Mga titig sakin at ni ate Mei. Napansin ko kaagad na magkakakilala sila. Ang pwesto nila napakastrategic na sinadyang di tayo makatakas kung sakali. Ito yong naramadaman ko nong muntik na akong ikorner din ng apat na lalaki sa bus na sinakyan ko noon pero dali-dali akong bumaba kasi naramdaman ko kaagad ang panganib. Kuya, sobrang mangiyakngiyak na ako kanina dahil sa takot at sa awa ng sitwasyon natin kasi nasa isip ko na mamatay na talaga tayo same din sa iniisip ni kuya Rex kaya tumindig ang balahibo ko at kung bakit pareho kami ng hinala as in lahat-lahat na di kami ngbigayan ng signs at nabuhayan din ako ng loob nong sinabayan niya ko sa pagbaba pero at the same time natakot na baka itakbo na kayong dalawa ni ate Mei dahil naiwan pa kayo. Kaya ang paraan ko lang ay makunwaring naiihi kahit na parang kayong tatlo ay inis na inis na sakin. Gusto kong sabihin sa inyong tatlo na baba na tayo pero natakot ako at baka mahalata nila ang takot ko.”
“Mei: “Nakaramdam din ako pero sinubukan kong iignore kasi ayaw ko mag-entertain ng masamang thoughts. Basta ang pansin ko ay kaduda-duda nga galaw nila. Nag-alangan din ako magsabi sa inyo baka isipin niyo OA lang ako kaya pinili kong tumahimik at isipin na safe at ok ang byahe natin.”
“Ako: “Pagpasok pa lang natin very menacing na ang dating sa loob ng van. Kaya narecall ko kaagad ang aksendente kayat dasal lang ako ng dasal.”
After getting off the van, they contacted his sister who also had a bad feeling about the van, especially when people at the bus stop told them, “naku sir! Sana hindi niyo nalang po sila pinasakay don kasi di talaga yon nagbabyahe paLupon paBislig po ata ang route non dapat dito nalang kahit sa Tagum nalang sila.”
His sister and her boyfriend started to worry then and tried to contact them but no one was replying. So, they took a taxi to follow them but were unable to locate them because the van took another route. The gasoline station was about to close, but they were allowed to stay until their sister fetched them.
James shared the lesson he learned from that experience and said:
“Lesson learned po, maging mapanuri tayo palagi sa paligid natin. Always listen to your gutfeeling. Huwag magcelfon habang nagbabyahe. Huwag magbyahe ng disoras na nang gabi lalo na at mag-isa ka. Dapat kalmado lang kapag nakaramdam na ng panganib at higit sa lahat, magdasal po tayo palagi. God saved our lives para maka-attend pa kami sa 70th birthday ng Mama namin bukas. Imagine kung natupad ang demonyong plano nila, paano haharapin ng Mama namin ang birthday niya?
Safe parin naman pong sumakay ng van pero siguruhin lang po natin palagi na tama ang nasakyan natin at registered sya. Siguro sa case namin nakatiming kami ng masamang tao. Di po kami paranoid o intoxicated that night sadya lang pong mas nangingibabaw ang gut feeling namin na nasa panganib na kami. Wala po kaming intensyon na siraan ang van business at hanapbuhay ng ibang tao, ang gusto lang namin ay mawarningan lang po ang publiko para magingat kahit saan at kahit anong oras.
PS: wala pong plate number ang van, for registration po ang nakalagay.”
