UP MANILA statement on the JULY 17 COURTZONE shooting incident

This is an OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE prepared by the
Information, Publication, and Public Affairs Office (IPPAO)
Telefax: 302-2215 / 554-8400 loc. 3842

UP MANILA statement on the JULY 17 COURTZONE shooting incident

UP Manila wishes to allay the fears of the public, particularly its students and their parents, on the shooting incident between two security guards that happened yesterday, July 17, 2012, at the Court Zone badminton court in Paco.  The University assures that it is in full control of the situation and has exerted additional measures to tighten security in and around its premises.

UP Manila is issuing this statement on the incident that alarmed UP Manila students and their PE teacher who were holding classes at the said badminton court at that time.  Seeking refuge in the restroom,  the students and the teacher were fetched shortly by the CAS Administrative Officer in a UP vehicle and brought back safely to the UPM campus.

CAS Dean Reynaldo Imperial, in the initial incident report, said that pending investigation of the case and results on the ocular assessment of the place, PE classes in the above badminton court have been temporarily suspended.  He has also asked the CAS Associate Dean Dr. Alex Gonzaga to review the policies on holding off-campus PE classes.

UPM Chief Security Officer Major Florendo Alejo said that the security officers are still getting the full details on what really happened and denied previous rumor of a hostage taking incident.  He added that since the shooting happened outside the campus,  it is not within the UPM administration’s jurisdiction.  To beef up security at the said premise and other outside locations where PE classes are being held, additional guards can be requested and deployed.  Coordination can also be made with the chiefs of security in these places through UPM’s  Good Neighbors Initiative project.

Due to space limitations, some PE classes at UP Manila are being held in nearby facilities outside the University campus.  But with the increasing spate of random crimes around the vicinity that alarm and threaten the safety and security of its students and teachers, the incident provide the UPM administration a good reason to review the policy on holding classes outside the secured campus.

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