Yes, I am a Pinay traveller. I am a PHILIPPINE PASSPORT HOLDER. I am proud of my lineage, I love the Philippines. But the sad thing about my being a Filipina is the racial discrimination those immigration officer abroad does to us Filipinas whenever we went abroad.
I was so shock to see my fellow travel blogger, Chyng Reyes in the news because she was suspected to be a drug mule when she visited BALI, INDONESIA the other day. Imagine the pain they had to go through. The fear of being framed up, the fear of not seeing the Philippines again, the fear of being jailed in a foreign land.
The three (3) stupid immigration officer suspected Chyng and Dyanie to be drug mules. They flew from SG to Bali via Airasia last May 28, 2011.
Airasia's airbus was full of different nationalities. But Dyanie and Chyng were the only Filipinos on board. They landed in Denpasar airport at almost 11:40pm. They then lined up in the Xray machines for their luggage to be scanned.
The moment the officer saw Chyng's passport he carried her luggage. He asked her "is this yours?" Chyng said "yes". What could be wrong with her luggage? She silently asked from her mind. The officer scanned their hands too. They don't have any idea what's that for so they asked the immigration officer. He answered "secret".
After he scanned their hands with that stick, he looked at Chyng and said "come and follow me." He looked to Dyan and said "you also."omg. what's wrong?! Chyng uttered to herself.
So in front of all the passengers of Airasia that night (na malalaki ang katawan, at yung iba may tattoo, at sila pa yung mukhang harmful kesa sa kanila ), sila pa ni Dyan ang mukhang may drugs! They then followed the officer because they dont have a choice. They obeyed him, as if they already did something wrong. All other passengers were staring at them.
syet.. anong meron sa bag ko. at anong marks ang nakita nya sa kamay namin? kinabahan ako. this isnt just the usual immigration thing. this is something serious! -Chyng said to herself.
They then entered the holding room. There were 3 officers inside. 2 males and a lady officer. "Meet my Filipina friend. She was caught hiding packs of heroins in her luggage" said the officer. Sabay turo sa picture frames sa wall nila. It seemed like a gallery of drug traffickers from all over the world. He reminded me that DEATH is the PENALTY of those drug traffickers.
Paksyet. It's a matter of life and death in the hands of these Indonesian Police Officers.. Chyng said to herself again.
They offered something to drink but Chyng and Dyanie refused.
Yoko nga, baka dahil jan sa drinks na yan magkaron pa ng drugs substance sa katawan namin..sabi ni Chyng sa isip isip niya.
"Do you know her?" asked the officer as he was pointing to the girl in the picture frame. - Chyng answered no.
"Did you take drugs?" - Of course not!
"Did you have drugs hidden in your body?" - What?! Never!
nagpanting yung tenga ko. galit na galit ako. at the same time nalungkot. bakit ganun, tagged na ang pinoys as drug traffickers dahil sa kasalanan ng iilan.-Chyng uttered at the back of her mind.
"Let's check your bag".
The officer searched her things thoroughly. Chyng was just looking at him. He checked every compartment of her luggage too.
Ang lakas ng kaba ng dibdib ko. I knew he could frame me up. At wala na kong laban if that happens. Nasa teritoryo nila kami said Chyng.Ansama sama ng loob ko. Dahil lang Pinoy kami, instant suspect na agad kami.
After he messed with all her things and found nothing, she then asked the officer what could be wrong and why was he checking them. He just answered "because the 2 of you are beautiful girls."
putangina mo, nakikipag-cooperate kami sa inyo. naabala at napahiya na kami kanina pa. kaya sana sumagot ka ng maayos kung may tinatanong kami sabi ni Chyng sa loob loob niya.
For the 3rd time, they went outside the holding room to scan their luggage. Chyng was really very nervous (and irritated). She could imagine him almost saying that he found something in her bag. Remember, he was holding her bag all the time. Chyng never had the chance to touch it again..
you dont trust us. and we dont trust you either. the feeling is mutual. ang advantage lang, nasa Indonesia tayo. at kayo ang may authority isip isip ni Chyng.
Now they looked to Dyan. The lady officer asked her if she was hiding drugs in her belly. Of course she answered no. The other officer ordered a body check on her.
as narrated by Dyan:
Gusto ko man magsabi ng ayoko ng body check, wala akong nagawa. Bansa nila yan. So sunod lang ako sa gusto nila. Pumasok kami sa Body Check Room. Inikot ko yung mata ko to check if there are surveillance cameras. Tapos ni-lock ko yung pinto. Tinanong ko si lady officer kung bakit namin to ginagawa. May 3 pinay daw na nahulihan ng drugs sa loob ng tyan nila. Sympre di ko alam kung totoo nga yun. Pinahubad nya ko ng damit. As in HUBAD lahat. The only body part na hinawakan nya ay ang tyan ko. Pero nakaka-harassed pa din. Wala naman siyang nakitang kakaiba.
no offense pero meron ba silang extensive training na by just touching a body part malalaman na kung may drugs dun? ang hirap maniwala. they cant even speak straight english to start with. mayabang lang sila. pero wala silang masyadong alam.
Now back in the holding room, and Chyng was with the other 2 male officers. They started bragging that they captured all of the drug traffickers in the picture frame. Chyng was still not sure what will happen next as they were never told anything.
What now!? gusto nyo lang may mapatunayan kayo at may madagdag kayong picture jan sa wall nyo?!-sabi ni Chyng sa isip niya.
Chyng said she's so proud of Dyan. She went back in the room and still didnt breakdown. She knew she will start crying to, if she see her terrified.
pero sa totoong buhay daw, sobrang takot na nya na masesetup sila.
Dyan said Chyng don't look scared at all too. She just look very irritated.
pero sa totoo lang, nafi-feel nyang anytime sasabihin ng officers na may nakita sila sa bag nila.. at di na sila makakauwi ng Pilipinas. =(
After 1.5 hours, they finally let them go. Wala silang nakita. They thanked Chyng and Dyanie for being cooperative pero di pinansin ni Chyng yung hand shake offer nila. Galit na galit siya. Pero alam niya bawal syang magsalita. Hindi rin sila nagsorry sa abala na ginawa sa kanila. Para san pa, wala na silang gana na pumasok ng Bali. Sirang sira yung bakasyon nila dahil sa ganitong pagwelcome nila sa Pinoy.
Sabagay their sorry wont be enough. Kulang yan sa kahihiyan, sobrang takot, trauma, at paranoia na inabot ni Chyng at Dyanie dahil sa kanila. Ang sama sama ng loob ng dalawa. Putangina nyo! Sigaw ni Chyng!
They met the hotel driver who's been waiting for them since 11:40PM. They finally went out of the airport at 1:30AM. Chyng thanked the driver for waiting for them. He wasn't surprised that they were the last to go out. Sabi nya, kapag Pinoy chinecheck daw muna.
Sa sobrang takot ni Dyanie, she cried to sleep that night. Tulala. Di nagsasalita.
Sa sobrang galit ko, di ako nakatulog. I started vomiting. Hinika din ako sa sama ng loob.
Wala pa kaming 2 oras sa Bali pero gustong gusto na namin umuwi ng Pinas. Sirang sira ang bakasyon namin. Ika pa ni Chyng sa kanyang blog.
EXCERPTS FROM CHYNG'S BLOG: Putangina nyo! Naging praning na kami everytime may police kaming makikita. Or everytime dadaan kaming xray, paulit ulit muna naming pinapagpag ang bawat damit namin - oras oras - just to check na walang naisingit na drugs sa gamit namin. We're so traumatized that we wont be planning to go out of the country anytime soon.
We swore not to go back to Indonesia again. We already suffered a lot. We regret the day we entered this country.
And if you are planning to go to Bali too, well good luck. The next suspect could be you.
Sa nangyari sa aking fellow travel blogger at FB friend na si Chyng Reyes ay isang kahila hilakbot na pangyayarim na nanggigising sa ating mga opisyales, na sana naman gumawa kayo ng tamang aksyon para matigil na ang RACIAL DISCRIMINATION na ginagawa ng mga taga ibang bansa sa kapwa natin mamamayan Pilipino.
Nagbalik sa isipan ko ang nangyari sa akin nito lamang Enero ng taon ito ng kami ay pumasok ng Malaysia mula sa bansang Thailand ng aking kuya.Please click my rants here RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
Aba panahon na magprotesta tayo sa mali nilang pamamalakad at animo' y nakakainsultong pagtrato sa atin. And to think third world country din sila tulad natin. At sa tutuo lang mas magaganda ang beaches natin kesa kanila. Media hype lang ang kagandahan na sinasabi nila. Milyon milyon kasi ang kanilang budget para sa pag promote ng kanilang lugar.
Para sabihin ko sa inyo, hindi lahat ng Pilipino ay salaula. Hay maatake na ako ng high blood.
