Holdap 'To! (Documentary of Sandra Aguinaldo)

Airing on September 7, 2009 Monday night, after Saksi This September, the country’s most awarded late-night program delivers four bold, hard-hitting documentaries as veteran journalists Howie Severino, Jay Taruc, Sandra Aguinaldo and Kara David fearlessly enter a world where underground activities thrive and illegal transactions proliferate – the Black Market. In the first installment of the four-part black market special, award-winning journalist Sandra Aguinaldo exposes the step-by-step tactics being employed by hold-uppers to succeed in their operations. They strike anytime and anywhere. Anyone could be a victim, and no one is spared. For veteran hold-uppers Christian and Marlon (not their real names), this is the golden rule. The two self-confessed criminals have depended on hold-upping since they were minors. Christian and Marlon started off with just snatching bags and cell phones but eventually formed a group that holds-up passenger jeepneys and taxis. The loots that they get from their hold-upping operation are immediately sold to sidewalk vendors, who then sell these stolen goods to unknowing customers. Christian admits that he already wants to quit hold-upping, but the money that he earns from this job is too big to let go. It has been four years since “Albert" was jailed because of robbery with homicide. This is already his third time in prison. Albert belongs to a group of hold-uppers that targets restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores and even “door-to-door" money deliveries. In a one-on-one interview with Sandra, Albert reveals their hold-upping scheme in detail. All of the 8-10 members of their gang each have a designated assignment - one member acts as the location checker, two are assigned to thwart the guards, one goes directly to the counter, while the rest acts as lookouts for incoming enemies. Sandra Aguinaldo’s documentary offering for the I-Witness Black Market Special “Holdap ‘To!" airs this Monday midnight over GMA-7 after the late-night newscast Saksi.

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Ngayong Setyembre, bilang simula ng pagdiriwang ng ika-sampung taong anibersaryo ng I-Witness, apat na matatapang na dokumentaryong magsisiwalat sa mga ilegal at patagong transaksyong nagaganap ngayon sa bansa ang ipapalabas nina Howie Severino, Sandra Aguinaldo, Kara David at Jay Taruc sa “Black Market Special" ng I-Witness. Walang pinipiling oras. Walang sinisino. Walang sinasanto. Lahat puwedeng maging biktima. Ito ang prinsipyong pinanghahawakan ng mga gaya nina Christian at Marlon, ‘di nila tunay na pangalan, mga beteranong holdaper na mula pagkabata, nabuhay na sa pangho-holdap. Nagsimula bilang mga snatcher hanggang sa natutong magnakaw at mangholdap sa mga jeepney at taxi. Sa unang bahagi ng I-Witness “Black Market Special," isisiwalat ni Sandra Aguinaldo ang mga diskarte at taktika ng mga holdaper kung paano isinasagawa ang panghoholdap ng mga grupo sa mga pampublikong sasakyan at lugar. Anumang oras, sumasakay sila sa mga sasakyang ito at mabilisang inaagaw ang mga cellphone at alahas ng mga pasahero. Pagkakuha ng mga nakaw, agad silang tumatakas - takaw huli raw kasi kung patatagalin nila ang pambibiktima. Diretso na sila pagbebenta ng mga na-holdap sa mga tindahan sa bangketa. Si Christian, gusto nang tumigil sa ganitong Gawain pero ang problema - paano sila makakakain ng kanyang pamilya kung wala siyang trabaho at pagkukunan ng pera? Apat na taon nang nakakulong si “Albert" dahil sa robbery with homicide. Pangatlong beses na niya ito sa piitan dahil sa pangho-holdap. Mga restawran, gas stations, grocery stores at maging mga “door-to-door" money delivery, hino-holdap nila. Ang sistema ng kanyang grupo: walo hanggang sampung katao silang lumalakad, may taga-timbre kung saan sila pupuwesto, may nakabantay sa guwardiya at may tututok sa counter, habang ang natitira niyang kasama, lookout sa labas. Samahan ang award-winning journalist na si Sandra Aguinaldo pasukin ang mundo ng mga holdaper sa kanyang dokumentaryong “Holdap ‘To!" ngayong Lunes ng hatinggabi sa I-Witness pagkatapos ng Saksi.