Panic By Text

A recent flurry of text messages has sent a wave of panic through the already fear-gripped and rumor-rich Tsinoy community. Starting in late July, these text messages tell of kidnappings of students from Chinese schools, robberies in Chinese restaurants, carnappings, hold-ups and kidnappings in Binondo, Banawe (Quezon City) and as far away as Dagupan (Pangasinan). One message gave plate numbers and descriptions of vehicles used by kidnap for ransom criminals (a green Hilander, a green Lancer and a white Corolla). One message last week warned: "DNT give PRSONL in4mation 2 any1 nt even chinis. it has bin rptd a TRIAD has enterd d phils. MSNGKY, SOLER & areas n BDOs on RED ALERT ALRDY" (text spelling retained). Some of the incidents cited in these pass-on text messages have been verified and reported in the media; the others remain rumors, despite a "confirmed ito" caveat at the end of the message.

These days, it takes very little for people to start panicking. One businessman I know no longers wears his Rolex watch, after receiving a text message about a robbery at a restaurant in Banawe where "8 armalite wielding men tuk celfon, watch & wallet of everyone, incl my husbands rolex". Some families have eliminated eating out from their week-end routine–"mahirap na, baka magkataon..." One woman is contemplating carrying around a cheap(er) cell phone, which she can hand over to the robbers. Household helpers have been instructed anew against opening the door or gate to receive deliveries, after "QC Chinese couple tied up and robbed by men posing as delivery crew of cake w/ name of resident in gift card. This happened Friday nite. Beware."

These rumors have spawned another tier of rumors, such as that it is the government sending and spreading these text messages to justify President Arroyo’s penchant for presenting criminals to the public. Another speculates, "have you noticed PGMAs 10year plan? Desidido na siya to stay for 10 yrs? Are they sending these txt msgs to scare us so we don’t mind if she declares martial law?"

Citizens hostage to such fears, to panic at the drop of a whispered–or texted–rumor do not make for a strong republic or a productive society. Panic feeds on fear, and all too soon there is a big bloated monster. When a citizen does not feel safe in his own neighborhood, every shadow, every stranger is a potential kidnapper or hold-upper, and around every corner there lurks a frightening shadow, a menacing stranger.