By S. S. Suarez
In the last issue, I shared some actual stories on street crimes. My friend Robert Yabut, the security and safety officer of a domestic shipping line, shares another modus operandi that is a bit gross. It can happen to anyone at the most unexpected times. To combat crime we must keep ourselves informed of the various modus operandi (modes of operation) of criminals. Please beware of the “ The Dura (Spit) Gang Modus Operandi”.
According to Robert, this modus operandi victimizes motorists in jeepneys and public utility buses. Here are some tips so that you will not be the next victim of the "Dura Gang".
1. Their script includes:
- “May dumura sa’yong lasing, bumaba na.” – to convince you that they’re trying to help you out
- “Miss, kadiri yung dumura sa’yo. . Ang dami mong dura sa buhok.” – to gross you out
- “Lagyan mo ng alcohol, ang baho.” – to get you to zip open your bag
2. If you can get off the vehicle, do it. These people won’t stop harassing you until they’re convinced that they can’t steal your stuff. I chose not to alert people because they might be armed and might hurt people. Don’t panic.
3. Presence of mind. If you don’t have it, act like you do. Don’t wear earphones while commuting. Be aware of who’s sitting beside you. Develop a spider sense for crooks. You’ll get this over time or when you get victimized by crooks a couple of times.
4. Don’t sleep! Don’t ride the bus/jeep if you’re drunk.
5. There’s spit, deal with it. Don’t go getting alcohol to clean yourself. It didn’t touch your skin, no worries. It might stink a lot, but at least you still have your wallet or phone.
6. They might use ketchup, bubble gum or some other gross thing. Beware.
Let’s be vigilant and be aware for our own safety.
