HOW SAFE is UST nowadays?
Since the beginning of the school year, the Varsitarian has been constantly reporting incidents of petty crimes on campus.
Last June 17, Central Student Council treasurer Ryan Castro almost lost his cellphone to a snatcher near the pay-parking area. A snatcher was also caught inside the University for the second time.
The following month, two freshmen fell prey to swindlers.
The latest incident involves a College of Science senior who was held up inside the car of her friend last Sept. 10. According to the victim, she was sleeping in her friend’s car, when an unidentified man woke her up and told her to drive around the campus.
The man tried to take the car, but the student refused and screamed for help. However, the student was robbed of her month-old cellphone.
Easy access
Security on campus is problematic because of the relative ease with which people can enter the campus, which is a public area.
According to Lt. Col. Romeo Naldo, Detachment Commander of Office of Student Affairs, outsiders would use going to Santissimo Rosario Parish (UST-Chapel) or to the University of Santo Tomas Hospital (USTH).
“Marami kaming nahuhuling outsiders na ang palusot ay sa ospital o sa simbahan,” Naldo added.
Michael Balnaja, a guard stationed at the Dapitan gate, said that visitors are made to sign a form upon entry.
Easy public access has provided opportunities of theft on campus, especially in places where you least expect it.
Earlier this year, a bag lifter was arrested inside the St. Raymund’s building. The man entered the building wearing an AB uniform and a UST ID strap but no ID. Recovered from him were bags hidden underneath the toilet bowls and the credit cards from his past victims.
A similar case happened at the Roque Ruano Bldg. almost two months ago.
According to Michael Arzabal, a head guard, the snatcher entered the building when students were crowding the entrance.
“Pumasok siya na naka-uniform ng Engineering pero walang ID. Nahalata siya ng isang faculty member dahil luma yung uniform kaya isinumbong siya sa guards.”
When the snatcher was brought to the OSA, a cellphone was recovered from him. Later, a student came to OSA and filed a lost cellular phone complaint. It turned out to be the stolen phone in the possession of the snatcher. Curiously, it was the second time that the snatcher was caught. The first time was at the St. Martin de Porres building.
Security force
There are a total of 165 male and female security guards in the University.
Aside from being stationed in buildings, security guards are also deployed at pedestrian and vehicular gates and at intersections.
The guards are provided nightsticks, whistles, firearms, radios, and metal detectors.
Guards are required to undergo training and seminars at Camp Crame before getting their license.
Pharmacy Student Council secretary Shirley Bonifacio said that some guards are lax. She explained guards don’t check if ID’s are properly swiped.
Some sectors have proposed use of CCTV cameras around the campus, and pedestrian gates with at least four railings where students, faculty members, employees and outsiders can enter in separate areas. The OSA has even proposed roving guards in civilian uniforms.
Naldo suggested that students should be more cooperative with security guards. He added that they (students) should be more watchful of their personal belongings.
Incidents of snatching at the Roque Ruano building have been rampant especially in the women’s comfort rooms. Students there are advised not to leave their personal belongings, even for a short while.
Engineering Student Council president Kathlene Dellota said many things had been stolen especially in their organization room, such as a CPU, printer and a auto voltage regulator.
Manuel Amanse Jr., Arts and Letters Student Council president, suggested that the University coordinate with the baranggay officials, especially in the UST area.
The security of the whole University must not solely depend on the OSA alone. Students and the administration must work hand in hand with OSA to lessen, if not eliminate, the crimes occurring inside and outside the campus. John Carlo B. Bautista
