::. ROBBERY INSIDE PINK SISTER'S TAGAYTAY .::

the neatly cut glass left on the floor at the back seat

the entire back window gone!

On our way back to Manila after our planning session at Tagaytay Highlands last Feb 22, we stopped by Pink Sisters for a quick visit. We were originally intending to buy some tarts at Angel Hills but it was on a "by order" basis so we just decided to drop by Pink Sisters to pray in the convent's church. We parked on the new parking lot across the church. We came in two vehicles: I rode with my officemate in her Toyota Vios while my other two colleagues were in a Kia Sorento. My officemate parked her car on the left side, probably like the 5th parking slot or so. Our other officemate parked on the right side just near the parking entrance, could be the 1st or 2nd parking slot. Anyway, we were only gone for abot 15 minutes to pray inside the church. When we went back to the car, I was stunned to see my officemate's car window at the back passenger side totally gone! I immediately told her that her window was broken and at first, I thought it was hit by a stone or something and then the next second, I realized it was a robbery! Her [company-issued] laptop and hand bag with some cash & digicam were stolen from the back seat! It could clearly be seen that her window was NOT simply smashed but it was cut (by a diamond cutter perhaps) in two strategic directions and then probably pushed to totally give. She also left her celfone charging on the dashboard slot but it was not stolen coz the thief/thieves were probably in a hurry. Our overnight bags inside the trunk were untouched. I did not lose anything coz I always brought my handbag with me wherever I go.

Horrible, horrible! The lone security guard who was posted right by the door of the church said he did not see anything and he said he has gone to eat his lunch (which I doubt, that in a span of 15mins he left his post coz when I went out of the church to take its picture after being inside for abt 5 mins, the guard was still there. I went inside again and a few minutes after, me and my officemates went out and hung out by the garden right in front of the church as we waited for our other officemate to finish praying inside. I clearly remember the guard still seated there on his post.) The only suspect was this espasol vendor who was there at the parking lot when we left our car. Veggie vendors who had a good view of the entire parking lot from the perimeter fence of the convent said they saw nothing/no one except for the espasol vendor. From where the guard was stationed, the area where we parked cannot be fully seen. What can be seen from there was just the tops of the parked cars.

We don't know who did this. The espasol guy may or may not be involved. For all we know, there might have been a vehicle who just parked beside my officemate's car and could have quickly done the crime in less than 5 minutes and left the church without raising any suspicion. Who knows, really?! The police said it was the first time for something like this to happen inside the Pink Sisters convent. There were reported bukas-kotse incidents in Tagaytay restuarant/fast food areas but not at the church.

It's still unbelievable how something like this could happen inside a quiet and holy area like Pink Sisters. It feels kinda surreal for me when I clearly remember that second in my mind when I saw the broken window. Horrible, horrible.