JUSTICE for Tara Santelices

The serious crime of humankind today is apathy. As death stares a promising young lady, others looked the other way and carried on the normal course of their lives. It's sickening........ it's revolting. I am posting the following message I got from my e-group with the hope of stirring emotions that can turn back the tide of apathy plaguing mankind. Let's pray for Tara. Let's pray for mankind.

Tara Santelices, 23 years old graduate of the Ateneo de Manila was shot in a robbery-hold up incident inside a passenger jeep along Felix Ave. Cainta, Rizal. She was on her way home past midnight (August 6, 2008, about 12:30 AM) with a friend coming from a night out on the eve of her 23rd birthday.

Somewhere along a dark stretch of Felix Ave. near Karangalan Village, a man posing as a passenger, pulled a gun and announced a hold-up. The man grabbed Tara's bag. Instinctively, Tara held on to her bag and in the ensuing struggle, the man shot Tara and hit her on the left side of her forehead. After getting the bag of the others, the man jumped off the passenger jeep. Tara's companion, who has never been in that situation asked for help from the other passengers, and told the driver to bring them to the nearest hospital, as blood was already spurting out of Tara's head. But instead of driving speedily to the nearest medical facility, the driver drove as if it was one of his regular trips, even stopping three times to unload a passenger. Of the five or six other passengers, only one bothered to help Tara's friend carry her. The rest just went about their business as if nothing serious happened. In fact some of the passengers even opted to stop the vehicle for them to get off, wasting precious time for medical attention. The driver eventually took them to a small clinic. But even as Tara's companion was talking to a medical personnel in that small clinic, the driver drove-off leaving them to look for a taxi to bring Tara to a better equipped hospital. Tara was given the appropriate medical attention only about four hours later. The police went to the hospital to talk to the witness (Tara's friend) only a day later.

It is the height of apathy and indifference that our fellowmen show no concern about each other specially in such emergency situation as that involving Tara. It is revolting to know that transport drivers whom our lives and safety are actually under their responsibility as paying passengers, do not know what to do or even try to avoid responsibility under such situations. It is also contemptible that the police had to act so late and only after follow-ups by friends were made with higher
authorities.

Tara has been in a coma for about a week now, her skull shattered by a bullet. Her dream of doing humanitarian work with the United Nations has been shattered as well. Chances of her recovery is almost nil. And the family remains tortured and pained seeing their precious child in that condition every day, feeling helpless. They, however, remain strong in their belief that Tara's fate is in the hands of The Lord Almighty and continues to pray for a miracle.

But we are not entirely helpless if we help ourselves. Even as we continue to storm the heavens with our petitions for Tara's recovery, we can storm those here on earth who have the responsibility and the means to stop this kind of violence, to prevent it from ever occurring again, or from happening to us and our loved ones.

Instead of dismissing this incident as one of those that routinely happens in our streets and thinking about immigrating abroad to escape the situation, we can do something more positive and more concrete.

Let us sign the petition below and join the effort to do battle to combat our own apathy, and to exact responsibility from those who took an oath to serve us - the Public.

http://www.gopetiti on.com/petitions /justice- for-tara- santelices. html


Read more about the incident here:
http://www.gmanews. tv/story/ 111732/Robber- shoots-lady- who-refused- to-give-up-laptop

and Various blogs:
http://chitoirigo. multiply. com/journal/ item/64
http://amkyut.wordpress. com/2008/ 08/08/prayers- for-tara/
http://laurenvillarama.blogspot. com/2008/ 08/reposting- help-tara- santelices
http://petalglassjade.multiply. com/journal/ item/88/


Tara herself has a multiply site. If you have the time and the inclination, you might want to browse thru this site: http://tarxz. multiply. com/

Tara is currently in the ICU of Medical City in Ortigas. She's still fighting for her life. Her family and friends stand by her side through this painful ordeal. They need help. Any kind of assistance would suffice. If anyone's reading this, please...

If you have something to spare, her family and friends have opened a bank account under the name of Anne Marie F. Santelices, BDO, SA 2140-062201. You can visit them as well at the ICU Waiting Room of Medical City, Ortigas Avenue, Pasig. Calls to let them know that they're not alone would help as well - 09228154987, 09167243071, 09163695148.