Vol. XCI No. 2 — Aug. 7, 2019
Silliman is in a better place a week after the bomb threats. The Administration and the Student Government have taken measures to keep everyone safe, but everyone wants concrete and swift results. The initiatives are promising, but this week only came with even more blows to the security aspect of the university.
A gunpoint robbery incident involving a student in the late hours of Monday shook the students and the staff. This incident sent waves all over Silliman not only because the victim was a Sillimanian but also because it happened within the university premises itself. The apparent trust of the students in the upgraded security of the university has once again taken a significant blow in a time when big school events are around the corner. The Administration and the SUSG begin to rally once again in order to assure students, parents, and staff that they have not idled in their top responsibilities, which is safety.
After a meeting with COMSO, SOAD, and the Office of Student Services, as well as members of the Dumaguete PNP on July 26, the SUSG posted the minutes of said meeting on their Facebook page. The minutes stated the necessity of an incident command system, as well as a crisis management team as advised by the PNP representatives. This meeting is vital to the continued strengthening of security measures within and around the university. As the days pass, the studentry, as well as staff, will see if these measures will be great steps looking forward.
Just before things were starting to lighten up, Silliman was hit by another security risk — another bomb threat — last August 2, 2019. Similar to the bomb threat of July 19, this too had a short-notice class activity suspension. This post did not disclose anything beneficial other than the fact that the suspension was done “out of prudence.” The bomb threat was later on confirmed by Provincial Police Office Director, Colonel Angelito Dumanging, stating that an explosive ordnance disposal team was deployed. Elements from the Coast Guard, SWAT and BFP were also present during the suspension period.
tWS believes that these series of unfortunate events are a result of stagnant security measures amidst continuing growth. We believe in a foreseeable end to these events by being vigilant and cautious as individuals. We hope the SU Administration and SUSG will continue prioritizing the safety of the students as much as they try to maintain an image of safety.
