THOMASIANS, beware. Two students were recently victimized by hold-up men in the University premises.
College of Science student Diana Marie Nitural, a resident of the Clinical Division Dormitory, was held up on Dapitan St. last July 3 at around 10 a.m.
According to Nitural, Jeff Cruz, a resident of 6 Leon Rivera Street, Blumentritt, grabbed her arm, held her at knifepoint, and forced her to give him her money.
She said Cruz forced her to hug him, to avoid making the bystanders suspicious.
However, when they neared Dapitan gate, Nitural broke free from Cruz and immediately reported the incident to security guard William Deloviar.
At first, Nitural, who was still crying because of nervousness and shock, could not point where the suspect was. Fortunately, some students were keen enough to notice that Cruz suddenly boarded a passenger jeepney.
Deloviar immediately boarded the jeepney and forced Cruz to alight from the vehicle.
The suspect was brought to the Office for Security Affairs (OSA) for interrogation, and was later turned over to the police station.
Meanwhile, a 12- year-old male student of the P. Gomez Elementary School was collared by security guard Ruel Quimson last June 26, while checking his loot under one of the kiosk across of the Santissimo Rosario Parish church.
The boy stole the purse of a Chemistry student Janice Caoile, who only came to know about the theft, when Quimson notified her.
The boy was brought to OSA and was later released to her mother.
Upon assuming his post last May, OSA Detachment Commander Norberto Brosas ordered security guards to undergo regular training and seminars to equip them with skills necessary for their job.
According to Brosas, security guards take up different refresher courses every month such as proper radio operation techniques and courtesy, and identification and performance of responsibility of the security. Karen M. Peña
