UP Vulnerable

The University of the Philippines is known for its culture of openness and liberty. Its campus is a crucible of diversity wherein anyone (students, professors and even sidewalk vendors) can freely chose his/her belief and take his/her stand on any issues without so much reprisal from the powers-that-may-be. Because of this and the fact that it is owned by the Filipino people, the University had been open to the public. Anyone can enter its premises. There was also a time when anyone can enter a classroom and attend a class.

That same openness of the University also made it vulnerable from the criminal elements that prowl outside of its campuses. The recent murder and robbery in the UP Campus branch of Veteran’s Bank is a testament to that fact.

The University is feeling the brunt of the rising crime rate in the Metro. Aside from the perennial hazing incidents and frat wars, the UP community had to contend with thieves and snatchers that prey upon them. The worst thing is that sometimes the victims were killed by the criminals. One incident that I remembered that occurred during my college years is the murder of a student by a hold-upper near the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy building. A memorial plaque was placed on the site and it is still there, reminding everyone of the threat in the University.

The recent incident happened near the UP Bahay ng Alumni at around one pm. The place is near the track oval and is well deserted during hot afternoons. The bank also do not have much clients during that time. Most of their clients, who comes early in the morning, are old people.

The perpetrators showed the same cold bloodedness as the criminals of the Metrobank hold-up incident in Batangas. Without hesitation and warning, they shot and killed two security guards and one teller. They escaped via University Avenue with ease.

These animals do not have conscience anymore. What if they were more daring and attacked the UP campus branches of Landbank and PNB? These two banks are located on populous areas and have more money in its vaults. How many people would have died if they do strike again?

The recent incident revealed how vulnerable the University is. The UP Diliman police is understaffed to be an effective police force all throughout the campus. The UP Administration created the arnis-wielding SSB as a solution to this problem, but it is still not enough. Quezon City policemen, on the other hand, is off limits inside the campus.

The yearly budget cut also does not help because it forces the UP administration to reduce the number of its security guards.

The security inside the campus is a serious matter. The UP Admin and the community must help one another in making the campus safe. UP Diliman police must be strengthened and their numbers increased. Help must be sought from the Philippine National Police on that matter. Aside from guards being posted on important points throughout the campus, Quezon City police personnel must also be posted on the outer fringes of the campus. Posting of police other than the UP police should also be considered. Unfortunately, such plan is not easy to implement since many groups are against such things. One policeman investigating the Veteran’s Bank incident aired the irony: “’Pag pumasok kami [dito sa UP], sasabihin nila na kinikitil namin ang kalayaan nila. ‘Pag pinabayaan naman namin, Malaya naman ang mga holdaper.”

Related Blog Articles:

Horrifying Armored Van Robbery Inside UP Diliman by Laur in A New Beginning: A Filipino Mom’s Journal.

Veteran’s Bank Armored Van Robbery – A Prelude to the 2010 Elections by Penstalker in Whatever Mighty.

The Veratn’s Bank Shootout by jboygonzalessj in UP and About UP Catholic Chaplaincy.