The apology that never was

It’s more fun in the Philippines—new slogan of the Department of Tourism.

Robert Greenspan, 52, an American investor in the country, was outside Mercury Drugstore in Barangay San Dionisio, Parañaque City, waiting for his friend, another American, who was buying drugs in the pharmacy.

It was 2 a.m. of Jan. 17.

Suddenly, he felt a thud on his head. He had been struck with a piece of wood.

Dazed by the blow, he turned around to see three men, one of whom was about to strike him again.

Greenspan, who studied self-defense in the United States, fought back and downed two of the three men.

Other men came and ganged up on him.

Overpowered, the medium-built American ran to a nearby 7-Eleven convenience store where he thought an armed security guard would help him.

Instead of helping the poor guy, Avelino Gaupo of  La Fortezza Security Agency closed the store’s door on him and watched as Greenspan was being pummeled by more than six men.

As Greenspan was down on the pavement, he was repeatedly kicked by his attackers on his rib cage.

Greenspan thought, “This is it, they’re going to kill me so I might as well stand up and fight again!”

Using the last ounce of his strength, he stood up and vainly fought his attackers for the second time.

A woman who screamed made his attackers scamper in different directions.

Greenspan lost a necklace which, he says has  sentimental value, and his cell phone to his attackers.

Yes, it’s more fun in the Philippines if a tourist is looking for trouble.

* * *

Here’s a US Embassy statement on the incident in Makati City more than two weeks ago where an American diplomat, Dean I. Chang, cursed a young woman after the car he was driving nearly bumped her:

“Ambassador Harry Thomas met today (Jan. 24) with a woman who had complained about the comportment of a US diplomat.

“During the meeting, the Ambassador and the diplomat directly involved apologized for the incident.

“The Ambassador emphasized that he expects all US Embassy staff to treat others with courtesy and consideration at all times.”

* * *

I called up the young woman, who was cussed by Chang, and her uncle, Dindo Danao, to verify the US Embassy statement.

They said no such  meeting took place between the US ambassador and Chang, on one hand, and the aggrieved woman, on the other.

If the US Embassy could lie about the incident it could lie about other things.

What shameful behavior from embassy officials!