To my fellow Benildeans/Lasallians

This letter was forwarded to me by my professor in website design and I decided to share this in my tumblr as well.

Dear students,

Please take some time to read this so that you are aware of what is happening outside the school premises. Please do share this to your friends also. This letter was written by the chairperson of Architecture program in SDA.

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In behalf of my son and entire family, let me just say thank you very much for a job-well done, to the security staff of CSB. Mr. Armin Gomez, it is unfortunate that my son wasn’t able to get the names of the security officers that helped him so in behalf of my entire family, we can thank them personally, but from the bottom of our hearts, please extend to them our heartfelt gratitude!

Today, August 31, my 17-yr old son almost became a victim of a Budul-budul gang’s MO. Let me share his experience to show the alertness of our security personnel and may even serve as a warning to all, to be always alert in our streets.

As my son alighted from the shuttle he rode from Paranaque on his way to DLSU, he went straight to the Tropical Hut restroom. He was immediately followed by a 27-yr old guy and got his attention. The MO was that my son supposedly hit him while walking, and that he dropped his things and that my son never even said sorry or minded what he did. My son didn’t pay any attention and just said sorry. Went into the Men’s room, but when he came out, the guy was still there, and alleged that he dropped his new cellphone that his wife just gave him, and that it got broken. He then demanded that my son go with him to find a nearest cellphone repair shop and that he should pay for the damage. My son, Leandro, didn’t suspect at first and went along with the man outside Tropical hut, but as soon as they were at the corner of Estrada and Leon Guinto, my son feared for his safety, stopped and just offered to pay the man with what he had with him, and said he needed to take his finals exam in DLSU. The man agreed and my son handed him his allowance of 2K. He was immediately set free.

Soon as my son turned his back to flee, a man in civilian clothing, tapped his shoulder. Turning his back to look, he saw the thief already held by another man. Leandro was asked if he knew the guy, and as soon as he said no, a few more security men in civilian as well as uniformed, as my son narrated it, seemed to appear from nowhere, surrounded my son to protect him, and some hand cuffed the thief and placed him under their custody. We learned later that even as my son entered Tropical Hut, the civilian clothed security personnel was already on the look-out for him, as they noticed him being followed. The CSB security people then cautiously followed and observed what was happening, maybe to protect my son from any other untoward situation and chose when step in. Soon as they saw my son clear off the guy, one went between him and the thief, I can only surmise to protect him, while another held the thief to be questioned. My son was safe! He was brought to the Security office of CSB to be interviewed along with the theif, then they called the Security officers of DLSU, who picked him up and accompanied him back to DLSU, even straight to the professor giving the finals exam and even explained to the prof of what happened, so my son will not be penalized for being an hour late for his exam. Wow… what a service! Kudos really to both CSB and DLSU security staff! As my son filed the complaint with the Bgy Police after his exam, he was always accompanied by 2 DLSU security officers. He was even guided and guarded back to the shuttle beside McDo after filing the complaint, on his way home. We were also informed immediately through text message, soon as they were in the security office. I was able to talk to my son and gave a sigh of relief upon hearing the incident and that through it all, he was safe! To the DLSU security personnel, to you also goes our full gratitude!

Thank you, thank you, thank you to the CSB Security Officers at that particular time! Mr. Armin Gomez, I commend your men. Just like you a few weeks ago when you did that news worthy job on the hostage situation along taft, they were there, standing their ground, DOING their job!

We as parents, couldn’t ask for anything more!

Arch’t. Larry Angelo A. Carandang * uap-piid
Program Chair, Architecture
DLS-CSB School of Design & Arts