cyñl tecson,
News Feature: I Want You, to Report Criminality Now!
Recently, an alumnus of the University of the Philippines Integrated School (UPIS) mentioned on social media that their father was accosted and robbed on the footbridge across the Katipunan Avenue connecting UP Diliman Campus and UP Town Center (UPTC) by what was perceived to be a group of underaged youths suffering from substance withdrawal. This report was followed by another UPIS alumna who claimed that perverted sexual predators frequently positioned themselves on the lower steps on the UP side of the footbridge, near the area used as an unofficial jeepney terminal.
In an interview with the UPIS alumna who reported these alleged predators, she requested anonymity and expounded on her experience with them. As she was on her way home, she was crossing the footbridge when she noticed a jeepney driver rush out of his parked vehicle and sit beside another individual on one of the lower steps of the footbridge. She did not pay much heed to this event until she noticed a woman dressed in blue pass beside the seated individuals, who then proceeded to leer on the woman’s behind and discuss the possibility of her wearing a thong.
During the interview, she expressed her shock and disgust regarding the seemingly organized systematic methods of sexual predation. She then recalled feeling dehumanized as she feared that when she climbed the steps, a similar experience would happen to her, so she rushed past the perverts and reported their presence to the security official of the UPTC currently on duty at the entrance.
However, the security official claimed that the perverts were on the other end of the footbridge, and thus, not under their jurisdiction. The security official did instruct her to report the event to Barangay UP Campus.
Regarding these allegations, the officer-in-charge of the UP Diliman Police (UPDP) admitted that the police are aware that such occurrences do happen and he also maintained that they have been actively looking to prevent further incidents by deploying police mobiles and patrols to the area as deterrents.
However, regarding the specific events mentioned, he said that no report was made. He added that the UPDP would be able to better respond to such occurrences if all victims of such criminality would immediately report these events to them.
Further, according to the officer-in-charge of UPDP, most people who suffer from acts of criminality, do not report the events to the proper authorities as they fear rebuttal due to lack of evidence. On this matter, he encouraged such individuals to report the events to UPDP and let them be the ones to gather evidence, as each reported incident would allow the UPDP to match similarities between incidents and match suspects with their modus operandi and thus enable them to profile suspects.
Perpetrators who repeatedly commit these offenses have a better chance of being caught, as they usually follow a routine. Reports of suspects and their modus operandi would allow UPDP to deduce these routines and thus enable them to more effectively organize follow-up operations, where they have a higher chance of recovering stolen belongings or catching suspects in the act.
While vigilance is key to the prevention of being victimized, people should also be vigilant during and after the occurrence of a crime as doing so would increase the chances of minimizing damage in their personal case, while potentially preventing more damage from being done to others.
The UP Diliman Police can be contacted at their headquarters located at E. Delos Santos Street, Diliman, Quezon City, Metro Manila, or phoned through their number: 928-3615. //by Cyñl Tecson and Gabe Ulanday
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