Personal: Gunshot First Year Anniversary
Tomorrow (Sunday) I celebrate the 1 year anniversary of one of the most life changing events that I’ve ever had. Exactly 1 year ago, my girlfriend and I were held-up in an internet cafe that we usually hang out at. It was around 10PM and I was with her playing Ragnarok Online at Sakray because of the 40x EXP. Suddenly I felt a cold hard object being shoved to my head. When I turned around, there was this ugly stinking mother fucker pointing his 45 caliber pistol at me. I can’t really remember how many they were. Two of them moved around and forcibly took the cell phones, wallets, and valuables of all the people playing at the shop. I was actually resigned to losing all my stuff, what was important was that me and Mich (my gf) get through the ordeal. However, things became worse when one of the thugs decided to put his dirty hands on my girlfriend. Things became ugly though when he decided to point the gun to her. At that point, there was no more logic in my brain, I quickly got up and got into the fight of my life. Warning, this is not for the faint of heart.
I was able to knock the gun away and even got to throw the bastard to the ground. The shop owner, who was my good friend, also got up and was able to subdue the other robber. However, we never saw the other guy who was to my far left. Three resounding gunshots broke the silence. There was no pain, only heat and dizziness. After what seemed like an eternity, my knees buckled as I slipped on a pool of my own blood. To make a long story short, the robbers ran for it and even hi-jacked a car to get away. I was rushed to the hospital by my family who arrived shortly. I had three major wounds, one near my shoulder and two more at my back.
Eventually we reached East Avenue Hospital, which was a government hospital. If you thought that the worst part of this story was me getting shot, THINK AGAIN. To quote an article in the Manila Times:
The victim, Carlo San Juan Ople, grandson of the late statesman Blas F. Ople, was rushed to the East Avenue Medical Center (EAMC) for treatment of his gunshot wound. He cried in great pain not because of the wound that affected his lungs but because he was operated on without anesthesia.
Yes, you read that right. No friggin anesthetics! The doctor took a knife, slit my side open and poked my lung until he made a hole. He then proceeded to insert a tube that would drain the blood from my lungs into a bottle. When asked by my tita if there were any anesthetics, the doctor simply replied “May dala po ba kayo?”
Anyway, the obvious and good thing is I survived. Thanks to my girlfriend and my family, I was able to heal rather quickly. After the incident at East Avenue, they moved me to Medical City and they operated on me two more times. One to insert another tube to drain blood in my other lung, and one more to take out the bullets. I got out after 8 days. :)
If you want to read my original recount of this experience, just head on over to my old live journal by clicking here.
What’s the point of posting this? Please take care when you go to internet cafes. Make sure that the place is well lit and that it has good lighting. Cafes with dark lights that have posters that cover the windows are open invitations to robbers. If you’re a cafe owner, please take into consideration the welfare of your customers. If you can invest in security like cameras or even guards, please do so. I can only pray that only a few people will have to go through this ordeal.
May 26th, 2007 at 11:03 pm
Happy anniversary
May 26th, 2007 at 11:11 pm
dapat hammerfall mo muna bago sumugod para di maka cpounter
May 26th, 2007 at 11:14 pm
Ever since i got robbed trice in my life I swore that I will really really support the person who will be in favor of the death penalty. (Robbed pa lang yun ha? bwiset lang kse ako sa mga tao na ayaw mag trabaho na gusto ng easy money eh)
I dun care about morals or faith (I’m a Roman Catholic which believes in the Higher Power) but people who do that (robbed, shoot, rape or worse kill) deserves the death penalty tlga. Kahit yung mga kapamilya nila na nagsasabi na mabait yung kamag anak nila na gumawa nun, they can rot in hell rin.
The world will be a much better place kung wala yung mga taong ganun at yung mga taong tinatago pa yung mga kalokohan na ginagawa ng kapamilya nila.
After that incident in East Avenue Medical, would it still be a good choice to opt for public hospitals? Ano na kaya yung nangyari sa hypocratic oath ng mga doctor? naging Hypocrites oath na kaya?
Chief, nag invest ka na ba sa bullet proof vest after that incident?
May 26th, 2007 at 11:22 pm
Interesting…
Can’t expect much from a government hospital… 
May 27th, 2007 at 4:00 pm
grabe pla a year ago nangyari.. salamat at my awa ang diyos.. LONG LIVE!
May 27th, 2007 at 4:32 pm
oh my… buti nalang nakapag survive pa kayo! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY?!
May 27th, 2007 at 4:33 pm
God gave you a 2nd chance, that’s good
Hell, what would pRO be without you
May 27th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
Nanghina tuhod ko dito, pare.
Thumps up ako sa tibay mo. /no1
May 27th, 2007 at 4:42 pm
happy anniversary po.. hmm.. kung wlang RO! hindi po sna nangyari yan.. wahehe jwk lng..
expect the unexpected.. 
May 27th, 2007 at 5:08 pm
May 27th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
My outmost sympathy to you sir wauks. Your will to live is as strong as ever.
@Topic
yeah, internet cafes are one of the most dangerous places to go today. If we watched the news recently, a teenager was shot by a thief when he tried to fight for his cellphone back. He was in coma for quite a time but his body has given up.
My request to those who play in internet cafe is not to bring valuable items. Only bring what you need and be alert at all times
May 27th, 2007 at 5:34 pm
u need to survive kasi kawawa kami mga RO players kung wla u..
May 27th, 2007 at 5:36 pm
Di po ba masakit yung pagkabaril sa ‘yo? Mahihilo ka lang ba at manghihina yung parang lantay na lantay ka na?
May 27th, 2007 at 6:00 pm
@Frocio
Depends on where you get hit, what type of gun used, and how many times you’ve been hit. Yes it does hurt, but if it’s your first time being shot or experience major pain, your body will go into shock and somewhat release chemicals into the body to somewhat numb the part in which you are hit. The bad part of it is the recovery stages, although you may feel discomfort since the numbness will go away and pain will eventually kick in.
Good thing Wauks survived that and I do hope karma goes to those freaks who try to steal for money. At least life gave you another chance, and Happy Anniversary to you and your girl.
About the treatment without anesthetics, did you get the chance to ask that doctor if he had a license or even had sterilized tools? I hope so, because good thing you’re still alive, most hospitals lack sterilized equipment that most patients die not from the gunshot, but from the treatment itself.
May 27th, 2007 at 6:16 pm
wow!thats a really life changing experience!were glad you’re still here and survived!
May 27th, 2007 at 6:22 pm
I’m impressed wauks. They call the .45 the ‘Man-Stopper’. Did they catch the little fucks?
May 27th, 2007 at 6:34 pm
amf walang pam pamanhid…. sakit cguro nyan ouch
May 27th, 2007 at 6:50 pm
@Amaris
Nah, they never caught the bastards. I’m sure karma will hit them big someday.
@Frocio
Yeah it didn’t hurt. The only painful part was the operation and the recovery. I had like 3-4 pain killers constantly applied because I had tubes inserted into both my lungs and it hurt each time I moved. @_@
@Desquallie
It’s weird that this government keeps boasting that the economy is getting better when they can’t even give supplies to their hospitals. It’s really sad.
@Justice
That’s good advice. Each time I go to Icafes I just bring enough money and I rarely bring an expensive phone or my IPOD.
@Mhuu
That’s the reason why I voted Lacson.
May 27th, 2007 at 6:51 pm
Weeeeeeeeee……..Sarap nun alang anesthesia
May 27th, 2007 at 6:53 pm
Love!
The most powerful and all conquering force in the universe!!
That was the driving force that catapulted Carlo. It is an understatement to just simply say that she is a very lucky lady.
Two Thumbs to you Chief!
May 27th, 2007 at 6:58 pm
just to break the story:
what happened to your account after that? good thing you were not hacked if you fought against them without logging your off your account first.
May 27th, 2007 at 8:12 pm
^ - Amf! Loko ka talaga!
May 27th, 2007 at 8:15 pm
May 27th, 2007 at 8:25 pm
iDoL kta wauKz…
May 27th, 2007 at 8:40 pm
@wauks
i think you lost more blood that time. good news is you have more blood at your size.
malaking tulong yun and impact ng bullet. 22o yan.
May 27th, 2007 at 9:58 pm
na gangbang ng Gunglingers
buti trigger happy lng
kung nag desperado cla sabay sabay yari na tpos tumama lahat tig 10 bullets sakit nun
buti mataas luck mo swerte!!
wahehehe
May 27th, 2007 at 10:21 pm
The part about the no anesthetic thing makes my skin crawl…
where were u hit anyway ?
May 27th, 2007 at 10:23 pm
amf galit ako sau Wauks!
panu naman kxe nasa shop kaya ako nung binasa ko to
madilim dun walang window
amf tinakot mo ko!
aalis na 2loy ako d2
amff
May 27th, 2007 at 10:28 pm
waheheh 1year na rin pala un… sarap lagay sa death note nung tatlong holdaper
May 27th, 2007 at 10:57 pm
laugh trip ung line na
“may dala po ba kayo?”
hahaha~!
anu un pot luk~?!
anyway, the gud thing is, ur still alive~!
praise GOD!
May 27th, 2007 at 11:57 pm
God, its been a year na pala… I remember that incident well… When I and the rest of SC heard about it, we were of course shocked, worried, but at the same time proud of our Chief Wauks. (I was pretty shocked myself, cuz I remember speaking to you through YM only a few days before the incident…) Only a true man who truly cared and loved his GF would put his own life on the line to protect her. Mich is one lucky gal to have you with her Wauks.
May 28th, 2007 at 12:21 am
damn…. sue the fucking hospital!!! no anesthetics??? ano sila? sinusuwerte????
anyway.. long live tol! hero ka tlga 
May 28th, 2007 at 12:25 am
amf naman doktor yun
“may dala po ba kayo?”
nag-iisip ba yung doktor? hindi naman lahat ng tao na sinusugod sa hospital may anesthesia. feel yata ng doktor na nag opera nasa WW2 sya na ooperahan na lang yung pasyente nya ng walang anethesia.
ano ba pangalan ng doktor na yun?
nakatapos ba ng pagdodoktor yun?
doktor ba ng ano yun? ng grades?
o baka naman nagdodoktor-doktoran lang?
May 28th, 2007 at 12:30 am
i got robbed also i think almost 3 years ago inside a cafe at the front of perpetual help college. lost my company phone and wallet with precious old pictures inside. death to those fukkerz!!
May 28th, 2007 at 12:59 am
a common thing being said nowadays is that the hardest part about being hospitalized is getting out of the hospital.
good thing you’re still around bro.
May 28th, 2007 at 1:02 am
sir Wauks. saang iNet cafe po iyan? o_O
i could see that sir Wauks has been through A LOT of things in his life.
people around you are grateful that you are safe and thankful that you are part of their lives. =)
rO players are so lucky to have someone like you sir wauks *naks*
edi nagSelf-Defense training ka na sir wauks? or bought a stunGun? pepper spray? or better yet, may bodyGuard? naks hehe
ingat sa bala ha.
May 28th, 2007 at 1:07 am
what an amazing turn of events.
wow… you are blessed wauks. i tell ya you are really BLESSED!!
and as for your gf, i tell ya as well, SHE IS REALLY BLESSED TO HAVE YOU AS A BF!!
grabe while i was reading i was imagining if i were in that same situation with someone i love. i would certainly do the same thing no doubt (to protect my loved ones), but i certainly doubt that i would survive if i would get hit and be treated at the hospital in the same way.
being operated on without any painkillers is already a nightmare. khit na sabihin it’s for your own good, if ndi na kaya ng katawan mo bbgay ka talaga. buti na lang nalipat ka agad sa medical city, which is also my hospital ever since.
May 28th, 2007 at 1:58 am
Pride and Honor that’s how it works but it’s a good thing
you step up for the sake of your girl friend but if only material things
is the only case go ahed give them what they want value the life
we only have just one. But still heroic acts still make you recall
it everyday the pain the struggle you endured. Being treated
without removing the pain.
Good thing ingame whatever some rotten players do scam, hack,
blackmail, selling dupped items it doesn’t really matter as long
it won’t affect you in real life. Game is game, Life is life.
By the way, please cherish your life and make good use of it
maybe your career is not really with this game or other games
as Brand manager or other positions. Maybe you have other
things you could possibly do that would put you on the top.
Thus, making this only your stepping stone to reach the peak.
In desperate times, you would find who is really your true friend
like what happened to you a year ago….. Who’s there to
comfort you while you undergo the process of healing those wounds.
Cherish them too ^_^
P.S.
Please wipe out the duped items and make a anti dupped program
if possible by wednesday.
May 28th, 2007 at 5:40 am
woot… talo ka pala sa gunslinger fafs.. hehe
joke lang.. :)
good thing you’re okay… ^^
People like those gunmen should be burned and left to rot…
I was also a victim, well almost, of a hold-up fortunately my senses got to me first and i kicked him and he fell in a canal…
It was mere intuition, he didnt declare hold-up yet, I just noticed that he was comign up to me in an awkward angle (sa likod ko) so I kicked him, he even made reklamo to me at the cops pero he had sharp objects with him, so siya yung nahuli hindi ako… heheh
May 28th, 2007 at 8:14 am
@Wauks
I would like to ask.. . :…:
Is that 1 reason why the Shadow Circle Guild of Chaos was hibernated?
May 28th, 2007 at 8:35 am
yan na nga sinasabi ko eh pag masyado ng gabi pano pag WOE nyan amfufufufu
CHANGE THE WOE TIME!!!!
May 28th, 2007 at 10:00 am
@Waukeen
You recognized their faces right? Did you report them? ‘Di ba may sketcher ng criminals’ faces basta sabihin mo lang ung itsura?
May 28th, 2007 at 11:01 am
Yo! kuya waukeen!!!That was the baddest-ass story I’ve ever read!!!!!!ASTIG!!!ka at NEGLIGENCE and STUPIDITY AS A MEDICAL FIRM yung Hospital!!!!
OPERATED WITHOUT ANESTHESIA!!!
para kang war-torn soldier nun
Anyways kuya Wauks nice sharing of ypur ordeal kasamba-samba ka
May 28th, 2007 at 11:48 am
What the….?!
I was not aware of this news a year ago! 
Buti na lang po nag-survive ka Sir Wauks! For defending your girl friend in the face of danger, idol na talaga kita grabe!
Pero may isa pang bagay na shocking sakin…. Apo ka pala ni Blas Ople!
Kaya pala parang familiar yung family name mo. 
May 28th, 2007 at 12:41 pm
@Lonewolf
Yup, hehe. I was actually being groomed to become a politician pero na-addik ako sa games so ayan, nandito na ako sa LU.
@Jed
Yes, we filed all the reports. I don’t think the police will be able to catch them though. Napaka-crude ng mga police natin compared sa CSI na napapanood ko sa AXN, hehe.
@Wartel
SC was hibernated way back before that accident happened.
@Kristopher
You kicked him tapos nahulog siya sa canal? Parang 300!!! THIS IS SPARTAAAAA! *kick* lol
@honestplayer
I’ve decided to stick it out here because I owe a lot to our CEO and our Sales Director. They’re both my mentors and they’ve taught me a lot so I don’t think it would be fair to just leave. And yes, we’re doing our best to come up with a decision re: the dupe by tomorrow (Tuesday). hehe. Thanks man.
@Fred-Ster
Medical City was paradise compared to East Avenue @_@ The doctors were professional and easy to talk to.
@Dave
Matagal na ako nag judo, hehe. Kaya nga nabato ko yung robber kasi meron ako previous training. I’m thinking of going back to training again.
@HolySpiritsFury
Sana maging presidente si Lacson, tapos vice president si Alfredo Lim. Ayan. Hehe.
@Yamimakai
Doctor talaga yun pare. Kulang lang talaga sa supplies yung East Avenue :(
@Frithhiof
Yeah, I can’t believe na 1 year na since that incident. Time really moves fast.
@Zyndrix
Waaa, sorry. Hehe. Buti na yun at least safe ka XD
@Pesos
Actually me being big helped alot. Nag karoon ng blood clot sa lungs ko and the doctor said it would have been fatal pero since I was big, I was able to flush out the clot. Astig noh? hehe.
@Kiko
That was a newly created account in Sakray so ok lang kung ma hack yun. XD
@Everyone
Thanks for the kind words and the support guys.
May 28th, 2007 at 2:17 pm
bumaligtad sikmura ko nung na-imagine kong in-operahan kang gising ka…
May 28th, 2007 at 2:57 pm
East Av? LOL They had to take you there. In my family, that hospital spells insta-death. My cousin never made it because of how slow they work on their emergency rooms. Anyway, I guess you can’t really get to pick the hospital you’d want to get to since it was your life on the line. But I’ve seen the wards in East Av. I know how the nurses work there. Not exactly pleasant. On the other hand, at least you’re okay now.
May 28th, 2007 at 3:20 pm
tama nga yung isang comment! you should’ve used hammerfall first before tackling the guy!
normally, a man goes down with one bullet. you didn’t go down with several. IMBA! IMBA!
May 28th, 2007 at 3:37 pm
@Wauks:
the benefits of VIT.
May 28th, 2007 at 11:49 pm
Putting a CTT to drain the clot right away was a good call made by the ER physician.
Every second counts and you could have died of hemothorax/pneumothorax (blood/air in the lungs). However, he/she should have explained to you and your family properly why it was done so without waiting for local anesthesia to arrive and not talk so unprofessionally. 
That was a brave thing to do. Happy anniversay!
May 29th, 2007 at 2:24 am
si wauks idol na kta tapang mo!
buti nka GR ka!!
nka asura ka pa ng isa!! idol!
May 29th, 2007 at 5:29 am
good thing you survived sir wauks
lucky gf
basta pg-gf n tinatapakan, ipaglalaban ng papatayan
your the hero of the day /no1
hapi 1year 2nd life
May 29th, 2007 at 7:33 am
Most small time computer shop owners would not invest in security because the overhead expenses from shop assistants are already killing them.
Here’s an experience, Netopia rarely has time to clean up their PCs because there are existing viruses, spywares, and keylogging programs in “some” Netopia branches.
Sir Wauks, some things happen for a reason. You survived because it also had a reason. ^_^
May 29th, 2007 at 11:36 am
Boss Wauks idol…
May 30th, 2007 at 1:44 pm
I agree with no.53
Talagang sa Netopia sa amin talgang panay virus at malware… Mas malinis pa ata comp ko sa bahay eh….
Kasi naman ung ibang users nila di nila tinitignan un pala pumapasok na sa mga “sites”… Tapos sira-sira pa headset amfff…
Ok back to the topic, Sir Wauks IDOL!!!!
Gagawin ko rin yan sa GF ko yun eh kung magkakaGF pa ako hahahahaha…. Dapat gumamit ka ng HIGH SPEED CART RAM….
May 31st, 2007 at 11:33 am
@Wauks
Bulacan k din ba?dmi bulacan..ehehe
May 31st, 2007 at 7:19 pm
which is why one of my shopowner friends have a shotgun underneath his “command table” in case of holdup.
June 2nd, 2007 at 1:47 am
Heh, reminds me of the time I got ganged up and beaten unconscious by some thugs over at my street.
I was on my way home when some guys began to run towards me, really freaked me out so I ran, slipped past them and screamed for help. As I turned the corner another group came my way, one of them punched me so hard (in addition to my very fast running) that to this day the bone below my left eye is still sunken (and hurts like crap, even though it’s been almost 4 years after the incident). Aside from hitting my face onto the pavement, the last things I heard before going unconscious were “tara nakawan na natin ‘to”.
Based on what I learned later on, I guess I ended up smack dab in the middle of a gang fight that started over some basketball foul-up. First three that I met thought I was part of the other group, then the four that beat me up must’ve thought I was with the first three.
In any case, I was told that I was left for dead (actually unconscious) for around two and a half hours before some tricycle drivers found me and brought me to the nearest hospital. Relatives, being doctors, thought to help stitch me up, but were horrified at how I looked and couldn’t bear to face me, let alone treat me. My dad suggested I be transferred to QCGH, and good thing too: the IDIOTS at the hospital I first was in didn’t do shit to me when I first arrived AND charged P450 for a wet towel that my sister used to staunch the bleeding.
[ Thank God I was just barely conscious and too numb to react at the time. Kinda sad to think though, that the very hospital I was born in, never bothered to care for me when I needed it the most. ]
I’d really like to thank all the nurses and doctors of Quezon City General Hospital that treated me that day (which I’ll never forget… I got beaten up on Mother’s Day around 1 am), because they gave me FULL treatment, stitches, bandages and all. Not only that, the only payment they asked for was a donation to their supplies.
Maybe some day I’ll be able to repay them…
Glad you made it kuya Wauks
June 2nd, 2007 at 1:48 am
the “operation” the doctor did was a chest tube thoracotomy insertion and was most probably life-saving (more life-saving than physically taking out the bullet from your side, because you were probably more likely to die from blood pooling inside the cavity that holds you lungs than the actual damage the bullet did)
and yes, the procedure is often done WITHOUT the benefit of anesthesia, especially in emergent situations such as yours. what he did was INCREDIBLY painful no doubt, but probably saved your life.
you should actually thank the MD for his quick thinking.
sometimes the rigors of working in a government hospital drains at your tact and manners kaya baka parang masungit and thoughtless ang dating nya. 
but it appears he knew what he was doing.
anyway, congratulations on your recovery.
keep up the good work. 
June 3rd, 2007 at 3:59 am
Ouch.
September 4th, 2007 at 3:38 pm
Ok I just came across this site. I can’t believe you risked your life for Ragnarok Online!!! Just kidding… I hope when I’m faced with a situation when my loved ones are in danger, I can be as brave as you.