AN official of the Philippine Consulate General in New York became the latest victim of anti-Asian hate when she was verbally assaulted aboard a train while on her way to the consulate last Friday.
“Our colleague, a female consular officer, was verbally assaulted while on board the B train on her way to the Consulate yesterday morning,” reported Consul General Elmer Cato on Facebook. He did not name the person involved.
“An individual on board the train accosted her as soon as she stepped on board by asking her: “Where’d you come from? Where’d you come from?” Cato added.
He said the individual went on with his race-based tirade by saying: “We don’t need you here! We don’t need you here! F**k you! I hope you all die and everybody on this train!”
Consul Cato said the incident has been reported to the New York City Police Department, one of the latest assaults on Asians during the pandemic, when former President Donald Trump blamed the Chinese for Covid-19 virus, calling it the Wuhan virus or Kung Flu.
“We are deeply disturbed by this incident which came a few days after a member of the Filipino community sustained injuries after he was violently assaulted in a subway platform in New York City. A few months ago, a kababayan got his face slashed in a hate-crime incident also in the subway,” Cato continued.
He said the latest hate incident is the 14th involving a member of the Filipino Community reported to the Consulate so far this year.
“We join the Asia-American and Pacific Islander Community in condemning these incidents and in expressing our serious concern for the safety of our kababayan and other Asian-Americans in New York City.”
“We call on authorities of New York City to take additional measures to make our kababayan and other Asian-Americans feel safe when outside their homes by increasing police presence, especially in the subways and addressing the mental health concerns that reportedly affect as many as 40 percent of homeless individuals in the city, a number of whom have also been involved in recent hate crimes against Asian Americans.”
He urged Filipinos “to be vigilant when they step out of their homes and when taking the subway. Kababayan should immediately call 911 if they witness any hate crime or if they become victims themselves. They are also encouraged to report any incidents to the Consulate.”Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson on Sunday backed calls for increased police presence to prevent further incidents of anti-Asian hate in the US, following the verbal assault on the Filipina consular officer in New York.
Lacson supported Consul General Cato’s calls for increased police presence especially in the subways; and for Filipinos to report hate crime to the Consulate or via 911 if they witness or become victims themselves of such crimes.
“Based on accounts initially cited by Consul General to New York Elmer Cato, there have been at least 14 hate incidents involving members of the Filipino community so far this year, counting the latest incident. This is disturbing and has to stop,” said Lacson, who chairs the Committee on Foreign Affairs in the Commission on Appointments.
When Lacson headed the Philippine National Police from 1999 to 2001, he ordered an increase in police visibility, particularly foot patrols – an action that helped decrease criminality, mainly due to the deterrent effect on criminals.
“Hate crimes and racism have no place anywhere. As Consul General Cato pointed out, the Filipino community can be part of the solution by reporting such incidents to the authorities for prompt action. This solution should be adopted by all Filipino communities abroad, not just in the US,” Lacson pointed out.