Some students, residents still terrified after MSU blast

Some residents and students at the Mindanao State University (MSU) in Marawi City still live in fear days after the bomb attack which killed four and injured several others over the weekend.

According to James Agustin's report on "24 Oras," some questioned the adequacy of the security at the MSU.

“Sa gabi pag natutulog ako pag may narinig ako, kinakabahan ako. Akala ko bomba na naman,” vendor Amalia Limbona said in James Paulo Yap’s report on “24 Oras” Tuesday. 

(I get anxious when I hear something when I go to sleep at night. I imagine there's another bomb.)

MSU student Amelia Sultanbata said she felt the security on the campus was “not tight”.

“We can’t invalidate the fear because as a student in MSU, I can really say na medyo hindi tight ang safety dito sa campus,” said Sultanbatao.

(We can’t really invalidate the fear because as a student at MSU, I can say the safety here on the campus is not tight.)

“Kung sasabihin nilang safe how come a bomb naipasok sa loob ng Dimaporo Gymnasium diba?” she added. 

(If they say it was safe, how come they were able to bring a bomb to the Dimaporo Gymnasium?)

The university admitted there were lapses in the campus but said they were implementing measures to maintain the safety of the MSU-Marawi community.

“I don’t think may capacity ang university to prevent it. In fact, sometimes hindi enough ang government even to prevent it,” said University Secretary Shirk Abates.

(I don’t think the university can prevent it. In fact, sometimes we feel the government was not enough to prevent it.)

“Maybe we could have done something even better but the idea is we can only do so much based on our capacity. We always go back to the idea na university kami. Hindi kami Department of National Defense or PNP,” he added. 

(We always go back to the idea of a university because we are not the Department of National Defense or PNP.)

Police said more security personnel will be deployed to the university following the bloody incident. 

“As you know previously we have only a very limited access here because they have their own peacekeeping security force that are maintaining security inside the campus but following this incident, the President agreed, and in fact, he requested the active presence of the PNP and the military inside the campus,” PRO-BAR Regional Director Police Brigadier General Allan Nobleza. said.

The blast occurred at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday as a Mass was being held at the gym attended by students and teachers.

According to Nobleza, four people were killed and 45 others were hurt. Of the wounded individuals, 35 have been released from the hospital.

At least 10 wounded persons are still at the hospital and five of them are critically injured, he added.

The fatalities were identified as Junrey Barbante, Riza Daniel, Janine Arenas, and Evangeline Aromin. 

Bangsamoro Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim said they will shoulder the medical expenses of the victims. 

Meanwhile, the bereaved family of Evangeline Aromin mourned her death. 

“Wala na talaga ‘yung kapatid ko…Bakit mo kami iniwan?” Aquino Aromin, the victim’s brother, said.

(My sister is gone.)

All academic activities in MSU-Marawi were temporarily suspended while psychological interventions were being extended to the students left on campus. —NB, GMA Integrated News