Martial Law in FEU

By: Mr. Joey Ting, FEU Faculty President

thank God I am still alive until now.

Hear the story and be open to the incident that had happened to me within the week.

When we resumed classes last Monday, January 4, 2010, I knew something went wrong. All new faces of security guards surprised us as we enter the campus uncomfortably. They were so tall and well-built, looking like young military men. They stood everywhere as if a Martial Law is about to happen, vigilant and so attentive to entering students, faculty and staff. It was Monday, resume for work (faculty and administrators) and study (students) in the campus after the Christmas break. Everybody has its own personal reasons to endure the day.

For me, I still need to catch up for the rehearsals for the upcoming theater project SPOOF. I stayed in the Arts Building together with the ATC (Art Theatre Clinique) kids until past 10pm, the usual night rehearsal just to polish the show due on the last week of January and the new theater company(family) I founded for the FEU Mass Communication majors. Normally, I would park in the Technology Building since I have become the FEU Faculty President (2007) and before Christmas break started, my front part of the car was slightly damaged as unknown culprit never appeared before me to confess. I just saw the damaged part when I was about to leave one time from the SPOOF rehearsal in the parking. I communicated it during the last CBA (FEUFA Collective Bargaining Agreement) Meetings with the officials but nothing has done to remedy the part. The dent is still there until now. Then, as the year change from 09 to 10, another security agency came about.

That Monday evening started it all. After the rehearsal, I went to get the car, unfortunately, the newly-installed steel bars covered the whole area of Technology Building where parking is also located (I am referring to the old hospital space). I asked the guard to open up the said bars so I could bring down my car. I, together with Neil Tolentino, Ian De Ausen and Wilbert Castillo waited for almost an hour just to open the bars. I inquired as to why the community was not informed of the new installation and blockage as there were no MEMOs or E-mail or any communication for that matter regarding this “curfew” thing and the “closing time” approach. The security guard didn’t answer as a trained communicator. He just looked at me as if I am questioning the pronounced Martial Law To add, another FEU Official – Budget Officer Arnie Macapagal – had his car upstairs, also trapped. Eventually, we got the cars down the parking and out of its vicinity. This prompted me to be conscious with the time.

But that Monday night fatefully repeated. Last Friday, January 9, 2010, I accidentally forgot that I need to transfer the car again from the Technology Building to the Administration open-air parking simply because my teaching schedules for that day and my first blocking rehearsals for SPOOF got so tied-up. I just remembered the car after the rehearsals that ended as usual past 10pm since a lot of things should be done for the show. I got so tired as I went through a lot last Friday, however, the discourtesy displayed by the guard on duty that time provoked me to a heated argument with the assigned guard. This became worse. I waited two hours to get my car. KARAPATAN KONG KUNIN ANG SASAKYAN KO KAHIT NAKA-SARA NA ANG STEEL BARS NA YAN. TAMA PO BA? I called several officials before guards agreed to look for the key and finally opened up the bars.

Saturday morning, I attempted to park inside the open-air parking (VIP & OFFICIALS’ parking) since I do not want to park anymore in that Building and be trapped inside it and the only parking available perhaps for me since there’s no office on Saturdays. After the two previous incidents, I introduced myself as a Faculty Union President this time through a written notice that I’ve prepared a slogan posted inside the car and the kind of relationship I have with the FEU President. Like a thunder, I went out of my car. An unknown security approached me suddenly and asking for the key. I refused to give the key. To my surprise, he dragged me like I was a criminal to the corner gate, physically pushing my right face and body against the wall and forcing me to get the key. He threatened me with a gun and discreetly kicked me while I was down on the floor, helpless. I have stood up once more yelling WALA KAYONG KARAPATANG SAKTAN AKO! WALA KAYONG KARAPATANG HAWAKAN AKO! HUWAG NIYO AKONG HAHAWAKAN! Then a troop of security guards came and the SecurityHead VERLANDO O. MIGUEL, again, once more held me but this time, I forcefully shouted for help and he let me out of the scene. So as I continue to leave my car at the gate hoping to communicate my point, I still met my 7:30-10:30am class in the Arts Building pretending to be okay but continuously trembling, as if nothing happened. I acquired bruises on my right elbow and muscle pain all over my right portion of the body as I was pushed by a 5’8 or 5’9 guard Hernandez.

The security never came back to inform me about the TOWING. During my class, a student who is familiar with my car told me that a towing service gets the car WITHOUT ANY SECURITY INFORMING ME. Since, the security fabricated the story that – after I left my car in front of the one of the three opened gates, they still have the guts to blotter the car as OBSTRUCTION and that the police station officer told me that I left out of the campus after having it parked.

They treated me like a criminal. In my eight years in the university, this is the first time I was physically touched and hurt by a security guard. Honestly, they do not look like one. They look like a trained military man ready to harm the ones asserting their right. This is still an educational institution.

ARE WE TO TOLERATE GUNS INSIDE THE CAMPUS?

ARE WE TO TOLERATE PHYSICAL HARM TO ANYONE WHO IS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY EVEN IF VIOLATION OF POLICY IS COMMITTED?

ARE WE TO ENCOURAGE FEU OFFICIALS THIS KIND OF SECURITY MEASURE?

Yes, I do assert my right as the Faculty President of FEU but I condemn the act of seriously hurting people especially in public. Whether I like it or not, I do carry the name Faculty President of the whole university system but being the first person to be harmed on the first week of this month by a one-week old security agency is unexplainable, a forceful act.

I can accept SUSPENSION OR EVEN EXPULSION FROM WHAT I DID WITH MY CAR but to touch me and harm me is another major matter.

IF THEY COULD TOUCH AND HARM THE FACULTY WITH OR WITHOUT A PURPOSE, THEY COULD DO EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING THEY WANT FROM US.

There is no difference now if directives come from the Officials.

Note: This is a reposted article