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A Singaporean tourist’s alleged experience of being “drugged and robbed in Manila” sparked discussions among online Filipinos.
Serene Li, who describes herself as an executive assistant, claimed that “approximately $4,000” Singaporean Dollars and cash from her wallet were stolen from her during her stay in the Philippines for a “work trip.”
One Singaporean Dollar is equivalent to P47.24, based on the April 21 currency exchange rate bulletin, meaning she allegedly lost about P188,954.
In a LinkedIn post, she said she “experienced sudden dizziness, vomiting, and memory loss” after consuming fruit juice from a “simple fruit stall along Ongpin Street.”
Ongpin Street is located in Binondo, Manila.
Serene said she was “medically assessed at St. Luke’s Medical Center,” where she was diagnosed with “suspected benzodiazepine or barbiturate poisoning,” even though her toxicology screen “came back negative.”
“That’s an important distinction: a negative tox screen does not mean no poisoning. Certain substances leave no detectable trace depending on timing,” she wrote.
The Singaporean said that “16 ATM withdrawals” were made from her account while she was “incapacitated,” adding that she had “no recollection of any of it.”
Serene said that when she went to the police to report the incident, she was told about “warnings of days of delays,” with officers “redirecting responsibility rather than helping.”
In the comments section of her post, she claimed she was “basically told to drop the case” since she could not stay in Manila while police determined which jurisdiction her case belonged to.
The tourist then warned fellow travelers to always travel with a companion, avoid accepting food or drinks from strangers, keep transaction alerts turned on for all accounts, and ensure that someone knows their location at all times.
“This is not a story about being careless. This is a story about a sophisticated crime that can target anyone. Stay safe out there,” the Singaporean wrote.
In the comments section, Serene said that she hoped her post would go viral “to get the authorities to reduce [or] prevent similar incidents” and to “maybe” recover her money.
Her experience was posted across social media platforms, with some Filipinos expressing embarrassment in the comments section.
“What a shame. I remember me and my American [boyfriend] walking around Chinatown in Manila, there were so many stores offering ‘free drinks,’ but we hesitated. It felt suspicious, like a setup to rob unsuspecting tourists. Better not take the bait. Always stay alert and vigilant, especially in unfamiliar places,” a Pinoy wrote.
“Kakahiya, Philippines,” another wrote.
“Nasa [third] country tayo, nakakapagtaka ba? Tayo nga, mismo nakakadanas niyan e,” a different Facebook user wrote.
Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police said there was a reduction in crime volume in Metro Manila and other urban areas since the “Safer Cities” initiative was implemented on April 6.
These included cases of murder, homicide, physical injury and rape. However, robbery and theft cases recorded a slight increase.
Reports said the data were based on figures from the pre-implementation period (March 28 to April 5) and the post-implementation period (April 6 to April 14) of the initiative.
The “Safer Cities” initiative aims to strengthen police visibility and presence in urban areas where a majority of crimes occur.
