Please note that I am not here to ‘slag’ or engage in chismis at the expense of the foreigner engaged in this incident with the TMO (traffic enforcement) officers of Dipolog, Mindanao. Any comments revealing his name, YouTube channel or any other identifiers will be deleted.
And as you watch the video, don’t focus on his behavior – identify with his feelings. I myself did just that, and it’s uncomfortable to see the failings of my own coping mechanisms caught on video like that.
Anyhoo….
A viewer sent me a video link this past week showing yet another foreigner having a bit of a meltdown in the Philippines.
Now, from the information I was able to glean from his channel, he seems to be an American and claims to come from North Carolina. (Having spent three years in beautiful NC, his accent checks out.) He also claims that he has been in the Philippines for twenty years. Digging deeper into the comments he has made on his YouTube channel he also seems to have suffered a number of injustices since living here – Past relationships with Filipinas are framing him, the government keeps seizing his property and he has been scammed and bamboozled by an inordinate number of Filipinas and government functionaries. His channel mainly focuses on “corrupt law enforcement” in the Philippines and consists of him filming SWAT, TMO (traffic enforcement) and Philippine National Police (PNP) going about their day-to-day. He then apparently takes that footage and titles it “Corrupt SWAT in Mindanao” or whatever.
To get a deeper understanding of the guy, here is rather convoluted post that he made on a fishing video on his YouTube channel:
“Published on Mar 31, 2019
Hoped enjoyed video. This is me trying to make 3 or 4 dollars a day in Philippines. Catch, sells; eat fish, eels, snakes, sometimes a little dangerous: sea snakes in the river, dirty water, pythons, etc. My name is “John Doe” from N.C. I was preparing to go to states 2 and half years ago. Some corrupt Police approached me and tried to extort money from me. I refused them they stole my property with no impoundment receipts, put me in jail 3 days no food and charged me with 6 charges. ( example drunk driving when in fact both medical facilities they took me to certified i had no alcoholic breath and appeared not in toxicated). I gathered 100% proof of what was happeninf and went to american embassy and asked them to please ask the appropriate Philippine Government Agency to ensure proper investigation. The U.S Embassy response: We are not here to help americans. I’ ve had to fight on my own. Have won 5 cases, 1 still pending. In Dipolog Philippines. If anyone in the Philippine Government can help me please respond. Wish Mr. Donald Trump would see and read this. This has caused me to lose all i have, including my health. All i get i give to my baby and partner. We have been threathened and harassed at times here. I can’t even get my son citizenship unless i have $3500 to fly and stay in Manila and go through lengthy process even though child born to me ( an american citizen). My partner has bachelors degree and fluent in enlish. She and baby have been threatened and are persecuted because i tried filing reports on the corrup police, if anyone deserves asylum wouldn’t it be her and the baby born to an american? But embassy did nothing, while i watch hundreds of thousands of people cross into states with no education or english and yet granted asylum abd benefits. Well we truly need, and we both are willing to work 2 jobs each if make it there. We dont want free from government handouts for months. Can anyone or will anyone help. I included a paypal if anyone donate even 50cents its great. Please share video. Maybe FOX News or CNN coyld have reporter investigate or Trump or Congress person. Any questions please just comment, i will reply i include my philippine BPI account # if any expat of philippine citizen would help even 1 peso im greatful. And yes we cook on fire ni appliances. Im ashamed to ask help but i will for my son. If ever i got enough i would post receipts of applying my son ‘ s citizenchip. Even if cant help donate, please help to share video and message. I have faith there are still good people out there. Philippine President Duterte hope you to get this message of what your corrupt police do.
https://paypal.me/XXXXX
BPI ACCOUNT # XXXX-XXXX-XX”
OK, so I am going to just let that speak for itself. There is waaaaay too much going on there to even start breaking it down.
And I will let the VIDEO speak for itself as well.
Now, keep in mind that the vlogger gives some background to what was going on before they started taking video. According to him, he and his wife had been food shopping when they saw the TMO officers at their motor. He goes on to say that his wife had offered to show the officers her license and other paperwork. He then approached, claims to have offered his ACR card and things escalated from there. I think it is only fair to add this.
But still, no matter what happened before the video, I don’t think there is really any excuse for what he did over the course of the video.
None.
The VAST majority of foreigners have experienced stress and frustration with the day-to-day of life here in the Philippines. I myself, have lost my shit more than a few times here, but it usually coalesces in sarcastic comments, exaggerated eye rolls and me going home to hide in my room for a bit, all the while singing “Bahala na” to the tune of The Muppets “Mahna Mahna.”
As a reminder, I am not here to ‘slag’ anyone or engage in gossip (chismis). Any comments with his name or YouTube channel will be deleted.
I don’t wish harm on anyone, and I hope it works out for this guy.
Until next time, fellow dreamers, puppies, rainbows and unicorns to all!
(Oh, and since it is September 1st, Merry Christmas!!!)
It is Fathers Day in Oz. So the Wizard says Happy Fathers Day to all of you who have made the supreme sacrifice and become Fathers.
I think he forgot to mention the black helicopters overhead. I suspect he went into the supermarket to get some tinfoil to make a hat to thwart secret radio waves emitted by corrupt Filipino agencies.
Ned all I can say if if he as had only bad here then why is he here. Why didn’t leave long long ago if 20 years has been hell for him or why didn’t he simply transfer to a area that is more welcoming if he felt they wasn’t there? I know you can’t answer this , just saying . It was not his job to report on them or expose them . He is really asking for it. No pity from me there. I know also I have been here 14 years and have stayed in various places. Various places in Manila where so called slum areas are. Walked the streets late late at night with ZERO bad encounters. I stay in Negros Provinces and rode trikes ( half lite sometimes! dumb shit! i know ) into mountain region that had military check points because of NPA. I had encounter with NPA. They treated me like nothing but a good man once I spoke to them with complete respect as well. Laughed , joked and sent me on. Calling me COWBOY! We are here to enjoy , relax and observe. Sometimes we might voice of a issue about littering , pollution or such but just wanting to help teach the youth. This is whole other levels. It seems to me like a person on self destruct. I feel for the guy in some ways. You have read my opinion before in video comments. He needs help – something apparently is happening. I myself have been treated so good in this country on the most part. Some piss me off sometimes. My wife gets to hear me rant like hell for a hour and then on to life. I also want to follow up with this…… Was it really him who wrote all that you share form his video post last March? The English misspellings and way things was phrased seemed all too much maybe by maybe the filipina partner. God bless to all – James @ Texas Filipino
Best way to avoid police, LTO etc is when they stop you just start having a loud argument with wife/husband, they never want to be involved and always let you go. Note – tell the other half that you will do it if stopped before setting off
The guy has a penchant for justice. But what must happen for justice to occur? An injustice. So he lives his life in such a way where injustice always happens to him and the feeling justified he takes up the sword to fight.
File a report against the police claiming corruption? What idiot would ever do that? If anything you make friends with the corrupt and bribe them when you need to. Those traffic officers were just looking for s handout. Give them a few bucks with a smile and be on your way.
But that’s not what this guy desires. Zero sympathy from me. Asking for Trump to help, his self-importance is unbelievable
This reply is not related to what transpired in the video. However, the video did tweak my curiosity, regarding a phenomenon I have experienced involving traffic officials, since moving to the Dumaguete area.
In May, of 2019, as I was riding my motorcycle into town, I was waved into a ‘”check” point. While the LTO officer was looking over my documents, I noticed the only people being directed to pull over were riding vehicles with 2 wheels. A couple of days later I was discussing this with another “foreigner” who has been living here for about 5 years and he told me that he has yet to see any truck, car or pedicab being pulled over for inspection at a check point. I have to agree, because I have now been here long enough to have seen at least a dozen check points and this practice seems to be the norm.
Can anyone please inform me of the logic behind this practice. I have witnessed so many vehicles other than the 2 wheeled variety, cruise through these check points while having no visible license plate/tag, having broken brake/tail lights, and of being in such a state of obvious mechanical disrepair, as to be a danger to every other motorist on the road, including the Police and LTO officials who are conducting the check points and who also travel these same roads?
Not trying to be critical…just trying to understand the rational of it all.
Don’t try too hard to ‘understand the rational’ of anything in the Philippines. It will just drive you bonkers. I noticed this as well when I had my Mitsubishi 4X4 – I usually got waved on while other folks on scooters were getting pulled and screened.
On one hand I really admire many aspects of the culture of the Philippines.
On the other hand I find it probably the most infuriating, deflective and irritating cultures I’ve ever dealt with.
Their standards for doing anything is just rock bottom with little weight put on deadlines.
Their communication, in English which they seem to be very comfortable with, is also rock bottom as their listening is so utterly careless. I have to repeat myself multiple times to get them to really focus on what I’m saying.
They absolutely will not take responsibility for almost anything.
Their reaction when cornered is to say nothing or hang up. They almost never admit wrongdoing. The Filipino way is to run and hide.
Their ability to reason and appraise a situation seems mentally stunted. Their sense of logic is also bewilderingly absent.
After all that I can say, as parents, they probably command more respect out of their children than any other culture I’ve ever seen in the world. I’ve seen Filipino kids raised in rough conditions in Canada and come out vastly different than all other demographics in the same neighbourhood. This speaks volumes of this country’s culture and customs. The children do respect their parents even though their parents are almost never financially well off or accomplished. This is a respect that is deep and instinctual and earned by the parents. One of the reasons they are probably not doing so well financially when living in developed countries is that they prioritize family over making money. And when they’re old that investment pays off very well. You can’t buy loyalty, not real loyalty. Yet they have it in spades.
Another attribute I’ve noticed is their level of patience which is astounding. They can take our frustrated attitudes and keep calm and keep trying to help (when they listen!).
Another is their ability to forgive which is also a sign of great personal strength.
Its a fascinating culture with huge positives and huge negatives.
Wow – You brought up a BUNCH of great points, and I think I will actually use this comment in our next Livestream. You basically nailed a lot of thoughts and observations that I have had over the past six years in the Philippines. Thanks much, Sam and sorry for VERY late reply: Your comment got tossed in my spam folder for some reason.
so i guess having a car would be better for me rather than a motor bike of any kind.
I have had a car (Hyundai Tuscon 2017 CRDI) for about six months. It definitely makes long trips a LOT more pleasant. Traffic is a bit worse, however, as you can’t pass slow moving vehicles as easily as you can on a scooter. And apologies for late reply.