23 June 17-23, 2021
Filipina diplomat ‘verbally assaulted’ in New York train NEW YORK/PASAY CITY -- A Filipino diplomat at the Philippine Consulate General in New York was verbally assaulted by an unknown individual in a train on her way to the office last week. “One of our colleagues at the Philippine Consulate General in New York became the latest victim of anti-Asian hate. Our colleague, a female consular officer, was verbally assaulted while on board the B train on her way to the Consulate yesterday morning,” Consul General Elmer Cato said in a statement The victim said a man on board the train accosted her as soon as she stepped inside
by asking her: “Where’d you come from? Where’d you come from?” He then went on with his race-based tirade by saying: “We don’t need you here! We don’t need you here! F**k you! I hope you all die and everybody on this train!” Cato said the Consulate is “deeply disturbed” by the incident and has already reached out to the New York City Police Department. The report came a few days after a member of the Filipino community sustained injuries when he was violently assaulted on a subway platform in New York City. A few months ago, a Filipino got his face slashed in
a hate-crime incident also on the subway. The hate incident involving the Filipino consular officer is the 14th incident involving a member of the Filipino community reported to the Consulate this year. “We join the Asia-American and Pacific Islander Community in condemning these incidents and in expressing our serious concern for the safety of our kababayan and other Asian-Americans in New York City,” Cato said. “We call on authorities of New York City to take additional measures to make our kababayans and other Asian-Americans feel safe when outside their homes by increasing po-
lice presence especially on the subways and addressing the mental health concerns that reportedly affect as many as 40 percent of homeless individuals in the city, a number of whom have also been involved in recent hate crimes against Asian Americans,” he added. Cato called on all members of the Filipino community to stay vigilant when stepping out of their homes, especially when taking the subway. “Kababayan should immediately call 911 if they witness any hate crime or if they become victims themselves. They are also encouraged to report any incident to the Consulate,” he added.
Fil-Am...
booth which was safer place to be in. The station agent then called up BART police to seek assistance and policemen, together with a medical team, arrived minutes later. They went up to take custody of the girl who Villavicencio and the station agent were able to identify. “I readily pointed to her. I distinctly remember she was wearing a hooded jacket, in jeans and sneakers. She was someone who looked like any other train passenger if not for the wood she carried to hit me,” Villavicencio recounted while being attended to by medical responders. “You would not even think something may be wrong with her. I have not seen her ever, much less know her to be her enemy.” He remembered telling the response team that he does not feel any pain but was told to be watchful in the coming days for any body aches that he may have since any pain may not be felt immediately. True enough, he felt some pain in his left shoulder later and has seen a doctor for that. The police took his statement for their police report while being treated by the medical response team and was given a business card by one of them in case Villavicencio needs to call them for whatever concerns.
Someone from the police office called Villavicencio days later to say that the culprit was now in Santa Rita jail and was undergoing evaluation to know if something was wrong with her. “I want to press charges but I really need to take care of myself first and overcome this constant fear in me. How can I even face her again if I still have this feeling of fear? What happened then always comes back to haunt me even in my dreams,” Villavicencio said. Villavicencio later received a letter from the Alameda County Attorney’s Office telling him their office was notified of the BART incident and offered their services in case he may need them which somehow gave him a feeling of relief. The attorney’s office services being offered included referral for medical treatment, mental health therapy, housing information and assistance in filing for the victim compensation program with the State of California to reimburse Villavicencio for any “out-ofpocket losses as a result of medical and hospital costs, loss of wages, relocation expenses and mental health counseling.” Their office also is sending a restitution claim form. Villavicencio said he longs for the day when he would feel normal and safe again.
He now has to constantly look around before he can feel seated comfortably inside a bus or train. The mere sight of black people, regardless whether they are male or female, young or old gives him the chills, he said. Villavicencio said he believes that what happened to him was a case of hate crime based on what he sees and hears on what are happening now. “I heard that blacks hate Asians like me, a Filipino. My belief is also based on the hate crime incidents that we hear from all over the U.S. nowadays. I feel that what happened to me was a hate crime case because I am a Filipino, an Asian,” Villavicencio said. He said that he was not sure that he was singled out to be her target or she was just waiting for someone to hurt with the piece of wood she was carrying. He added he was not sure if he was just at the wrong place at a wrong time. “I am speaking out in the hope that this does not happen to anyone else, for anyone to fall victim and get hurt. I am thankful to God that nothing worse than this happened. To all who may have suffered like me, do not be silent. Don’t suffer in silence. Say something so this may no longer happen to anyone else,” Villavicencio said.
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after he was attacked for no reason at all by someone he has not even met before. Pablo Villavicencio, 61, a caregiver originally from Bulacan, was finally feeling free to see loved ones in Los Angeles for a long Memorial Day weekend after more than a yearlong pandemic-imposed quarantine that prevented them from celebrating important occasions like they use to, That happy feeling was abruptly cut short when a stranger attacked Villavicencio as he was reaching the end of the stairs on his way to exit the West Oakland BART station, An African American woman in her ‘20s suddenly dashed in front of Villavicencio carrying a piece of 2 x 2 wooden stick and took a swing that targeted his head. It was good that he had quick reflexes, was able to duck a bit to his right protecting his head and the impact of the wood hit the backpack he had on his left shoulder instead. He didn’t feel hurt then and was about to run after the girl who sprinted upstairs to the train platform. A station agent advised Villavicencio not to go after the girl as it was not safe for him to do so. Instead, he was led into the station
