Apologies if this breaches forum rules, but today I am going to sound off against a Filipina I know. Not a forum member (joined a while back but never came back as far as I can tell)...

Before I flew out to the Philippines last October I offered this lady I know a chance to "send something with me to her sons". I was thinking perhaps a few cards, small gifts, letters. What she gave me amounted to a small suitcase worth of gifts and junk. It was very heavy and I was worried it would take me over my load, so much so that I left some clothes behind with the intention of buying some new clothes in Cebu. What she gave me was a package of lots of small plastic wrapped bundles of clothing items and chocolate (I could make out the dairy milk wrapper through the plastic)..

All of these packages were labelled for their intended recipient and I packed them all up, but was again requiring space..

One of the recipients died of old age, an elderly British Expat, so I left out his gift (tea bags) and took the rest over.

On my first day after meeting with Rizza I met up with this lady's son and his then girlfriend, I handed over the packages and treated everyone to a Pizza meal in Ayala.

Over the course of my time in the Philippines I spoke with this lady who told me that some of the money out of one of the packages had gone missing. this was the first I had known of these plastic bags of junk containing any money. what went missing amounted to about 1000 pesos or so.

Then before I came back to the UK I again met her son along with his brother who gave me cigarettes and a DVD player to bring over. He packed them into my suitcase and away I went (after treating them to a meal).

Upon my arrival to the UK I get pulled up by customs in Manchester Airport who seize the cigarettes I had. It seems I was way over the legal limit to bring into the UK froom a none EU state (I also bought my own but the ones given to me tipped the scales too).

And so I handed over the DVD player..

A day or so passed when this lady informed me that she was missing a memory card. So I went through my suitcase and sure enough, found a small card that had slipped behind the fabric (seeing as the customs agent had thrown everything about and opened the back zipper in the fabric).

A week or so passed when I got a long email accusing me of stealing from her. She listed the things missing as so:

# 600 cigarettes
# 1 memory card (seems there was another one)
# Money (amounting to about 1000 pesos)
# Oh and the tea....

So firstly she accused Rizza's family of stealing money from her, then she accused me. Seeing as her darling boys would never take from each other (except they are known for it!). Now she is wanting me to pay her £100 for her losses!

So now we are having a war of texts as it were. And now Rizza is asking me to pay her to shut her up..

Ok, I did leave the tea in the UK. And yes my housemates drank it.. So I guess I owe her about £2.30. But given the fact a good half or more of my luggage was her junk, I figure she can forget about me ever paying her £2.30. And the fact she now accuses me of being a thief.. Well, I pretty much tell her to kiss my each time she makes a demand..

but what annoys me is this. I could not even use the memory card as I gave my camera to Rizza. And why would I steal less money than I earn in a few hours work? And why should she think I am liable for lost cigarettes when her son gave me enough for the customs officials to take the lot?

I upgrade my phne next week and when I do I am getting rid of my existing number as I am sick of her. Blocked her on facebook, yahoo... Just got one more way to have shot of her!