At 4:30 this morning, the boarder at Room No. 2, Tampadong Apartments, L. Jayme St., Bakilid, Mandaue City, who refused to say his name when asked by me, aggressively approached me while I was on my way back to the room, from our common CR. (My brother and I are renting Room No. 1.) He then proceeded to lambast me with insults, including, but not limited to the following:
1. That I am a good-for-nothing lawyer, since I don’t have my own law office, and don’t practice. (I have private practice though, alongside my employment with the Children’s Legal Bureau and my “volunteer” work – which pays – with the Legal Alternatives for Women.)
2. That instead of practicing as a lawyer, “nagmantinil” ko with teaching at the Cebu Technological University, and according to him, CTU is “just” a public school, unlike USC, USJR and CNU. (Yes, he really thought CNU is not a public school. I see nothing wrong with teaching in a public university. As to his denigration of CTU, let the records of the PRC and TESDA speak for themselves. Also, while it is true that I am not primarily reliant on CTU as my source of income, the truth is CTU pays competitive rates.)
Since I really want to go to sleep, I told him we should just talk in the morning, when he would be sober (he appeared intoxicated). He made a motion with his hand, and said “talk to the hand.” When he walked away, I closed the door and went back to bed.
But he was not yet done. A few minutes later, he continued his verbal insults, and this time challenged me to get out, so that “makatilaw kag tubo” and other statements which would probably constitute at least threats. My pacifist brother Vicente Jr Isles prevailed upon me and I never went out. He continued his pabikil until around 5:30 A.M. I was busy searching my phone for the mobile number of that policeman from Casuntingan police station, but I really forgot his name.
At around 7:30 A.M., I was leaving the place and he continued his pabikil. He even mocked me, telling me what am I going to do now, sue? So I asked him if I could have his name so I could file a case against him. He refused.
Anyway, I went to Casuntingan police station, and learned that our place is under the jurisdiction of the Subangdaku PS. I had the incident blottered and will be filing the appropriate charges against him once I get his name from our landlord, who is now currently in Bohol.
I know that the legal process is tedious, expensive on my part and he would probably be acquitted or be under probation even if convicted. But I believe in his human rights too, and he deserves his day in court.
Meanwhile… wait, you are still reading this? Okay, since you are still reading this, my brother and I need to transfer to another boarding house, preferably in the Mandaue or Lapulapu area, as soon as possible. Please hit me up at 09255475378 if you know of any.