HOW many crimes were committed the night two women were raped by a UV Express driver and his partner?
The rape and molestation happened at night, an aggravating circumstance, in a van that was “colorum” or unlicensed, in a dark secluded place that was, according to the jeepney lingo, “out of line.” The passengers were tied up like pigs and hostaged for hours, even as they pleaded for mercy because one of them had just given birth. After the monsters were done with their dastardly deed, they took their victims’ cellphones and cash, even attempted to withdraw money using their ATM cards. Drug lords are the scourge of society, but what do we do with rapists such as these? A public hanging would be too gentle a punishment!
With the outcry against this most heinous crime-times-two – two victims, two monsters – the UV Express business that was invented and is licensed by that agency with the unpronounceable consonants has taken a hit. As well it should.
Women are scared now; if they can help it they won’t be riding in any of those SUV’s with the suspiciously tinted/tainted windows. UV: Ultimate Violation? Ultra Venal? Not only are many of them colorum, those that are legal or semi-legal appear to be no safer.
They have become worse than the “kings of the road,” which “honor” used to belong to jeepneys for their recklessness and pigheadedness, their disrespect for authority and disregard of rules and laws. These days, in the thick of the worst, most unimaginable, most normal traffic jams, UV Ex rules the road – look at them go, the wilder the better – they’re in a hurry to browbeat everyone else sharing the same space, anything bigger and smaller, anything on four wheels and on two legs.
The cheek of that LTFRB pseudo-official to advise passengers to be wary and avoid colorum UV’s! If a passenger can tell a colorum from a noncolorum, why can’t your agents, ha? Shut up and take a hike, or take a ride in a UV on that road to you-know-where that’s paved with good intentions like yours. (JULLIE Y. DAZA)