No justice for Pinoy killed in New York 'hate attack'

“Fighting means you could lose. Bullying means you can’t. A bully wants to beat somebody; he doesn’t want to fight somebody.”  Andrew Vachss

By Alex P. Vidal

NEW YORK CITY – Filipinos are not spared by perpetrators of hate crimes, which remain unabated even in the United States.

It’s not always safe to walk in the streets at night especially if we are alone—even in the “freest” and “safest” country in the world.

In every nook and cranny there are always racial haters and muggers ready to bully us when we least expect them to attack.  

And chances are, police won’t consider the attacks as hate crimes like what happened to a Filipino limo driver, Robert Martirez, in Queens a year ago.

I visited the place where Martirez was attacked. His friends placed flowers and flag of the Philippines and a demand for justice in the lamppost beside the Roosevelt Avenue.

Before I wrote this article, I visited the place once more and watched Martirez’s photo in the frame. His face will forever be etched in my memory.

The Hispanic man sought by police for Martirez’s murder in Woodside, has not been arrested and justice continued to elude the 56-year-old Filipino who was attacked on June 24, 2014.

WORLD CUP

Police attributed the senseless murder to the World Cup and refused to call it hate attack, it was reported.

Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce had announced that the New York Police Department “doesn’t have any belief that it was a hate crime.”

The Hate Crimes Task Force reportedly refused to investigate the incident.

Ironically, the Philippines was not a qualifier in the World Cup.

“It’s almost one year and Robert’s killer remains at large. We feel the authorities are not exerting efforts to arrest him,” lamented Liza Bandiolo, 54, who, like Martirez, was also a regular habitué of Krystal Cafe on 69^th Street Roosevelt Avenue.

Martirez just came out from the café near midnight when the unidentified suspect, whose face was captured by a CCTV, punched him in the face in an unprovoked attacked, it was reported.

The assailant reportedly first asked him, “Are you a Filipino?” before punching him.

Martirez, known in the community as a “regular churchgoer” and a “good guy”, fell and hit his head on the pavement.

He was rushed to the Elmhurst Hospital Center where he died.

We join the demand for Martirez's immediate arrest.

A reward of $2,000 has been offered for tipster who could lead police for the killer's whereabouts.

PUBLIC SERVICE: The Philippine Consulate General of New York in partnership with The Association of Fil-Am Teachers of America, Inc. will hold the 17^th Paaralan Sa Konsulado, a summer workshop for Filipino-American children aged 6 to 16 on June 27, July 11, July 18, July 25 and August 1, 2015 from 9 am-3pm at the Philippine Center New York. With a theme: “Kulturang Pilipino, Ipagdiwang Mo”, its aim is to provide children born and raised in the United States opportunities to learn about their culture and heritage and to offer a better understanding of their roots. It runs for five Saturdays with participants learning about Filipino values, heritage, history, arts, songs, game, traditions and conversational Filipino. There will be registration fees. For more information, contact Raul Cajigas (347) 932-6631 and Luz Dara Valconcha (917) 609-6141…the 2015 Fiesta in America dubbed: “Fil-Ams Mean Business” will unfold on August 15-16, 2015 at the Meadowlands Expo Center, Secaucus, New Jersey. Now on its 17^th year, the event will feature trade exhibitors, business to business networking, international and local entertainers, cultural and food festivals.