AT LEAST two student-owned cars have been victimized in the past week, with the owners reporting missing valuables inside.
Students Cito Mendoza, Ionne Ocampo, and France Sison all reported the thefts, after they found their cars broken into and their items stolen. In Ocampo’s case, her car—which was fitted with an anti-theft alarm—had its windows smashed by the perpetrators.
Reports of the incidents began to surface on social networking sites, such as the Facebook group Sanggu Bantay Halalan, drawing student concern over campus security.
As of press time, the incidents are currently under further investigation.
Different sides
Last Wednesday, student Cito Mendoza parked his car at the Moro Lorenzo parking area. When he returned at 8 PM, he noticed that his bag was gone. The bag contained his wallet, driver’s license, school ID, other identification papers, and the rest of his school materials.
“There was no sign of forced entry,” said Mendoza. “I just didn’t find my bag there. So I’m assuming the guy [perpetrator] knew how to unlock my door or maybe I just didn’t lock it. But I think I did.”
The security guard on duty told Mendoza that he did not notice anyone breaking into his car. At that point, another security officer from the Blue Eagle Gym came and brought Mendoza to the headquarters to file a report.
Mendoza then reported the incident to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs (ADSA) and was made to file another written report. “They were sympathizing with me but nothing really happened,” he said. “I had to explain what happened to me and that’s basically it. I was telling ADSA to help by taking extra precautions especially that the security agency that we have now will be replaced.”
As of press time, Mendoza said that there has not been much progress in his complaint.
Mendoza’s case was only one of at least two reported incidents. An earlier theft occurred last Monday, when students Ionne Ocampo and France Sison returned from Henry Lee Irwin theater after attending the Paglunsad event.
The two girls had left their laptops on the floor of Ocampo’s car, which was parked in the covered courts parking lot. When they returned, they found the car’s windows smashed and their properties missing.
Sison told The GUIDON that even though the car was tinted and was fitted with an anti-theft alarm, no one had seemed to notice the robbery. She added that there was no guard at the parking lot, even though the shifts end at 6 PM. Sison and Ocampo had arrived well before that time. “I had to stop two guards biking down from Fr. Masterson’s Drive just to help us.”
After reporting the theft to the guards, the two insisted on filing a police report, despite what Sison called hints of discouragement from the guards. “The first question [from the guards] was, ‘Ma’am, gusto n’yo pa ba magpa-police report? Maha-hassle kayo,’ (‘Ma’am, would you still want to file a police report? It will only be a hassle for you’), but we said we didn’t mind.”
Sison added that the security guards’ response was “quite disappointing.”
“Even if we left our things in the car, we weren’t careless. The car was tinted and the laptops were on the floor. That was why their verdict was [that] we were followed,” she said.
“In that case, the guard who was supposed to be ‘roaming’ the area… should have noticed shady people trying to break the window. But there was none. Negligence resulting to theft, according to our lawyer,” she added in a mix of Filipino and English.
In light of the reports, Sanggunian President Drew Copuyoc said that the student council will be working with ADSA to come up with recommendations to improve security in campus for the next security agency.
“We’ll discuss it more in the coming weeks. At least reports have [already] been filed,” he said.
Speculations on security
In Sanggu Bantay Halalan, students have speculated on how the recent security lapses on campus may have something to do with the change in security agency.
However, Copuyoc stressed that no judgments and quick conclusions should be made pending further investigations on the matter.
“That’s all needless speculation as of now,” Copuyoc said. “Let’s just wait for the investigation of ADSA and the security office.”
