A woman recalled her terrifying ordeal when a man robbed her at gunpoint at a parking lot of Festival Mall in Alabang, Muntinlupa Sunday morning.
“I was in my car in Festival Mall parking area to pick up my grocery items when a man with a gun approached me. Then, he asked me to unlock the back passenger seat," Suzanne Carandang Vicente posted on Facebook.
"Huwag kang sisigaw, huwag kang gagawa ng gulo kung hindi, papatayin kita," the man told her, she said.
Vicente said “at that moment, I couldn't move my body, my hands and legs were shaking, I couldn't even talk, my throat and lips became dry. While he was sitting at the back seat, he told me to drive and leave the place immediately.
“While I was driving, I was thinking that I could no longer make it back home - that this man at the back seat, in a snap, would shoot me dead any time. I was not ready to leave this world. Not today, I said. Silently, I prayed to God to give me the ability to stay calm and focused,” she said.
Vicente said the robber took all her automated teller machine (ATM) cards, IDs and phones, and “even my Cartier bracelet which I've been wearing for 20 years was forcibly removed from my wrist.”
“Sabi ko, ‘Sir, mahirap pong tanggalin gawa ng de turnilyo po ito’” but the man told her "Pilitin mong tanggalin kundi papatayin kita."
"Sir, nakikiusap po ako, magbabayad ako ng tuition," she pleaded but he told her, "Huwag kang magsalita dyan, magdrive ka lang."
She said they “traveled from Festival Mall to Sucat. While we were moving, all stuff in my bag were being transferred to his big backpack. He even asked for the passwords of my mobile phones. It happened in less than 30 mins with a gun pointed at me. Then, I dropped him off along Service Road.”
“This is the most horrible thing that ever happened to me in my 45 years of existence. I am posting this not to scare everyone but to be aware that even in a parking area where you are supposed to feel safe because there are securities around, (it) is no longer safe too,” according to Vicente.
She added, “I thank the Lord that I am now at home, safe, and unharmed. Friends, if someone sent you any messages, please confirm it with me via messenger. I have changed my passwords in FB, messenger, and other social media accounts. Please block this mobile number 09364123912.”
The management of Festival Mall learned about the incident and promised to tighten security within the mall premises.
“In light of the post circulating on social media regarding an incident that transpired in one of our parking lots yesterday, September 12, 2021, we would like to inform the public that our security team, with the authorities, are investigating the matter,” Festival Mall said.
It added, “Rest assured that we are reviewing our security measures within and around the mall to make them even tighter for the safety of our shoppers and tenants.”