Gun-pointing incident at UP Tacloban

TACLOBAN CITY — The University of the Philippines Tacloban College (UPTC) is stepping up security on its perimeters after a gun pointing incident last Sunday evening.

The university administration, in an advisory posted on Monday, said seven dormitory residents of UPTC reported to the school’s security personnel and the dormitory managers that an unidentified person driving a sports utility vehicle pointed a gun at them as they were walking along St. Niño Ext. across the campus gate.

The incident happened on Sunday at around 7 in the evening, a time where the streets in the area are seemingly deserted.

The students said the SUV did not stop and turned right at Magsaysay Blvd. The students tried to take cover behind a parked tricycle, and then alerted the guard and ran back to the UPTC dormitories.

On that same evening the UPTC Security Services Office reported the incident to Barangay 2 officials and the Tacloban City Police.

On Monday, the seven students were accompanied by the Women’s Dorm manager to the police station to lodge a complaint, and to the city hospital for a physical checkup. They were also administered psychological first aid by faculty members of the school’s BA Psychology program.

The area where UPTC’s Arts and Sciences buildings are situated, at corner of Sto. Niño Ext. and Magsaysay Boulevard, has been a subject of complaints in the past due to poor lighting and has become prone to traffic accidents and petty crimes.

“The Tacloban City Police are investigating the incident. All UPTC constituents are reminded to be vigilant and to immediately report to authorities anything suspicious on campus and the immediate vicinity,” the school advisory stated.