Police nab U-belt ‘terrorists’

Acting on mounting complaints from students against so-called University Belt "terrorists," police arrested over the weekend three suspects in successive follow-up operations in Manila’s Sampaloc and Quiapo districts.

The suspects – Roberto Ramos, 40, of 438 Nepomuceno st., Sampaloc; Renato Precilla, 32, of 424 Balmes st, Quiapo; and Jay Ronola, 29, 436 Balmes st., Quiapo – were allegedly responsible for terrorizing and robbing students at the University Belt area along Claro M. Recto street. They were arrested at their respective residences based on the complaints of their student victims.

Chief Inspector Florante de los Arcos, commander of the UBA police community precinct, said the three were identified by a number of students as the persons who terrorized and robbed them of cash and personal belongings. De los Arcos said the modus operandi of the group is to accost students, mostly those without companion, in the pretext that they are looking for rival fraternity members who they claim have either attacked or molested members of their group. Once the student is intimidated, the group would then ask for their victim’s belongings as compensation for the injury their members have suffered.

De Los Arcos said the robbery is committed in the midst of the crowd and in the middle of the street since the suspects do not use weapons to "terrorize" their victims, but merely rely on their big builts and threatening words.

In some instances, the suspects would order their victim to hand over his money or cellphone in the guise that it is an assurance that the victim would not escape while they are looking for their non-existent fraternity member who would identify his or her attacker.

De los Arcos said the group’s latest victims include university students Jhon Cuarteros, 18; Jonard Naria, 17; and Noresh Mallari, 17; who lost their cellphones, cash and personal belongings to the group.

The calculator of Mallari was recovered from suspect Precilla upon his arrest.