UP Diliman Student Survives itak Attack at AIT-CHK Footbridge

Asian Institute of Tourism and College of Human Kinetics foot bridge was attack by a mentally ill woman with an itak (large bolo or jungle cleaver). Luckily, she had the presence of mind to run away from her attacker. However, she suffered lacerations to her face and hands. Security personnel were quick to apprehend the crazed attacker.

Here's her full story from Facebook:

I almost died today.

At around 1:40 PM, I finished my last final exam for the semester. Apparently, I needed souvenirs. After I crossed the AIT-CHK footbridge from AIT, I called my dad and asked if he could pick me up along his way home. He told me that he'd be out by 3:30 and suggested I just come to his school, since it was closer. To do that, I'd have to cross the footbridge again. As I was ending the call, a mad woman (mad as in angry and mad as in mentally tipped off), shoved and hit me with something heavy and in a white plastic on the left side of my head. All I felt was pain exploding as the other hand clapped on my right ear. She was screaming, "KASALANAN NIYO TO!" and some other words I did not try to recognize. My mind quickly decided to run, instead because she was crazy and retaliating would only cause me more harm than good. She was double my size (in width), so I could outrun her. So I did. All the while I tried to feel my face and wonder where the blood in my hand had come from. I ran inside where there were people and when I realized she stopped, I sat down on the nearest chair I could find. If you're familiar with the CHK area, you'd know that she could definitely see me. One by one, people started to come and ask me what happened and saw me bleeding. They got me ice and into the physical therapy room where I got my wounds cleaned. When I decided to leave, I saw the guard who went after the woman and he informed me that what she had was an itak or large knife in a white plastic.

That was what I was hit with.

I thought it was only a can.

I almost died. What if it wasn't wrapped with plastic? What if she hit me anywhere that would have caused me to be out cold? Would I still be alive? Of course not. No one was there to save me had that happened. There were no SSBs where there should be. I got attacked and chased by a mad woman because no one could see. No one could help. I could have died today, but I didn't. I'm thankful.

I'm thankful that adrenaline kicked in and I ran and didn't fall. I'm thankful that I wasn't knocked out. I'm thankful for the life I was still allowed to have. I'm thankful there were people who helped with first aid and in catching the woman. Im thankful the only open wound was small and found on my left hand. I would especially like to thank UP and it's system and security. Thank you for the souvenirs. Thank you for NEVER being there when needed. Thank you for NEVER saving me and now, at least I could be proud I "saved myself" and never needed help. How's that for a ‪#‎StrongIndependentWoman‬ ? So thanks, UP SSB, for making my last day of this sem utterly horrible.

Oh yeah, thank you, crazy woman for giving me props for this cross-over movie I'm making. ‪#‎scarface‬ ‪#‎livelongandprosper‬

P.S. I'm blaming the security personnel that should have been by the footbridge, SSB. The guards at CHK were helpful in catching the psycho and taking me to PT for first aid.

EDIT: I wasn't on the footbridge itself, I was about to go up when she hit me. I was on the sidewalk (CHK side) that's why I ran to CHK when she attacked.

UP Enrollment: The Enrollment System at the University of the Philippines

It seems the University of the Philippines' enrollment system is not up to standard at all. You think they'd be the University with the most efficient and organized system in the country. NOPE. Students have to camp out or sleep the night over, there's the classic long lines, missing names and missing grades. So 80s. Shame ganito pa rin ngayon.

"Nakakainis na talaga itong Computerized Registration System ng UP (CRS). Tinatanggal nyo ang names ng students kapag di bayad o kaya di makabayad ng loans. Tapos, pagnakabayad na, saka pupunta sa amin ang students at guguluhin ang natutulog naming mundo para hanapin ang kanilang grades. Wala pong kasalanan ang students. Di po kasalanan ang walang pambayad sa loans. Ang kasalanan ay yong tanggalin yong pangalan sa listahan kasi di bayad. Paglalako ito ng edukasyon. Bakit di nyo na lang bigyan ng grades hanggang makatapos at saka nyo singilin! Tatakbuhan ba kayo ng students? Ganun ba kababaw ang tingin natin sa kanila at edukasyon? Pahirap ito sa students at guro! Tandaan nyo: KUNG ANONG GINAWA NYONG PAGHAHATOL SA IBA, YAN DIN ANG PAGHAHATOL NA GAGAWIN SA INYO NG DYOS NG MGA WALANG PAMBAYAD SA LOANS. Tigilan na sana yang pagpapalakol sa mga names ng di makabayad. Ang UP ay di bahay-sanglaan".

So hindi na talaga para sa mahirap ang University of the Philippines:
Hindi ako sanay na puro nag-i-Ingles kahit sa isawan o bilihan ng shake. Madalang na sa klase ko na may estudyanteng mula sa public high school at mula sa pinakamalalayo't pinakamahihirap na baryo at bayan. Tiyak na pumasa naman sila sa UPCAT, talagang hindi lang abot ang taas ng gastusin sa UP.

Mark Joseph Solis: UP Student Wins International Photo Contests using a Plagiarized Photo

Mark Joseph Solis, a BA Political Science student from the University of the Philippines Diliman won in several International Photo Contests using a Plagiarized Photo of a Brazilian boy. The winning photo was stolen from Flickr account of photographer Gregory John Smith.

Kung laman ka ng Flickr at regular ka dun, you'd know Gregory John Smith as CARF, in fact he has a lot of Pinoys in his contact lists sa Flickr.

Mark Solis won the top prize for Embassy of Chile photo competition “Smiles for the World" which includes a $1,000 prize money and round trip tickets to Chile and ironically, Brazil.



3 Possible Reasons Why Mark Solis Duped Everyone (You can read more at this FB page)
1. Mark Joseph Solis is a fame whore. The kid would do anything to win.
2. Mark Solis did it for the money. Prizes he won include free trips abroad.
3. The kid is a brilliant sociopath and would fit well in congress.



Mark Solis letter of apology to Photographer Gregory John Smith:

 22 September 2013
GREGORY JOHN SMITH
Children at Risk Foundation

Dear Mr. Smith,

I am writing to you to express my deep remorse and sincerest apologies for claiming your photo as mine. As the rightful owner of the photo, you deserve my initial thoughts and statement about this.Your photo was one of the most heartwarming photos I have ever seen, and I could only wish that I had the ability to capture such moments as well as you did. I kept it as wallpaper in my computer – an enduring reminder of what every amateur photographer should aspire for.Unfortunately, I was driven by my youth, lack of experience, and the inability to see the repercussions of my actions. The sheer amount of the prize, the stiff competition, and the unique opportunity to be abroad blinded me from undertaking what is supposed to be an honest and a rightful conduct. It was a regrettable lapse on my judgment, and no words can express how sorry I am for taking your photo as mine.I am now in close contact with the organizers, conveyed my apologies, and sought their opinion on the matter and how to proceed from here. I am surrendering everything that has been given to me in this competition, actually and virtually, and I take full responsibility for a disgraceful action and a grave moral lapse on my part. This recent turn of events has taught me to become humble, to have foresight, to be sensitive for the works of others, and ultimately, to take responsibility for my action. Again, I am in deep remorse for what I did. I am truly sorry, Sir Gregory.

Very respectfully and sincerely,
Mark Solis

Who is Mark Joseph Tajo Solis?

Mark Joseph Tajo Solis is a BA Political Science senior at the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy, University of the Philippines-Diliman, where he is a Diwa ng Magdalo Foundation and Wilfredo Keng Foundation scholar. From 2010 to 2011, he studied as a JASSO Fellow at the Kyushu University in Japan, took advanced courses under the Comparative Studies of Politics and Administration in Asia Graduate Program of the Faculty of Law, and served as a Teaching Assistant at the Faculty of Social and Cultural Studies. His research interests revolve around decentralization and urbanization studies, peace and conflict studies, environmental politics, and comparative public administration.

Prior to his fellowship, Mark served as a regional intern in 2009 at the World Youth Alliance Asia Pacific, where he handled youth forums and social outreach initiatives, and then joined the ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation as a social media desk cadet in the summer of 2010. A year after, he received the JENESYS Student Ambassadorial Grant from the Japanese Government-Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was also awarded a debate scholarship to Thailand by the Open Society Institute and International Debate Education Association. This year, he was named a Tunza Eco-generation Regional Ambassador for Southeast Asia by the United National Environment Programme.

A prolific academic writer, Mark’s papers have already been presented in several international conferences in South Korea, Malaysia, Japan, and the Philippines. Recently, his thesis entitled “Confronting Notoriety: The Rise of Warlordism and the Road to Peace in Southern Philippines” received a grant from the Southeast Asian Human Rights Studies Network (SEAHRN) and is bound for presentation in this year’s SEAHRN International Conference on Peace and Conflict in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Unfortunately, now and all his past work may be viewed with doubt now that he's been 'outed' as a plagiarist. So is Mark Solis a wannabee? Or just too driven to get anywhere at any cost? 

Anyways, we'll forget about him in a few months, but if Mark Solis ever runs for public office, please don't elect another Sotto.

UP-Ayala TechnoHub Bomb Threat

Police say bomb threat at UP-Ayala Technohub a false alarm.

Evacuation at UP Ayala Technohub

IBM Building E, F and G employees as the Quezon City Bomb Squad were now at the UP-AyalaLand TechnoHub.

Please Pray for the Quick Recovery of Lordei Hina: UP Student Stabbed with an Ice Pick

Lordei Camille Hina at a student rally

UP Political Science major, Lordei Camille Anjuli Hina is in critical condition at the ICU of Capitol Medical Center after being attacked by a robber with an ice pick. She was left for dead by three robbers who took her bag and two laptops from their student office. A fellow student found her minutes later lying on a pool of blood. The ice pick hit just above the left temple, fracturing Hina's skull and knocking her unconscious.

Photo by John Keithley Difuntorum

The UP Diliman Campus security was able to arrest one of the suspects Carlo Pecayo fleeing the crime scene in a taxi. There is a manhunt for Pecayo’s accomplices who are still at large.

Lordei's mom, Mrs. Connie Hina is asking for our prayers:
"To all my FB friends & colleagues wherever you are, whatever religion or belief you have: please include in your fervent prayers/meditation or whatever you call it, my graduating 20 year-old daughter Lordei Hina, that she can survive from the multiple stabbed wounds in her head inflicted by two robbers inside the Vinzons Hall of the University of the Philippines - Diliman campus yesterday afternoon; she is still in the intensive care unit...please send your positive thoughts and light...thanks."

Posted on FB:
To all those who want to help Lordei Hina (UP or non-UP alums)... Sa mga guro, REPS at kawani na nais magbigay ng pinansiyal na tulong para sa mga gastusin sa ospital ni Lordei, mangyaring dalhin ito sa opisina ng All UP Academic Employees Union at All UP Workers Union sa Room 102, Vinzons Hall, UP Diliman. Magbibigay ng acknowledgement receipt para sa inyong mga ambag. Maraming salamat at patuloy nating ipanalangin ang paggaling ni Lordei.

Update on Lordei's condition:
From Carlo Hina, brother of Lordei, posted on his sister's wall: "Update sa CT-Scan: Tumagos daw sa utak ni ate ung ice pick na ginamit. So, from left temple hanggang sa medyo right temple pero hindi naman lumabas sa right temple ung weapon. Tapos infection at pamamaga ng brain ang focus ngayon ng doctors. Tapos ung skull fragment na nasa utak nya, hindi raw recommended na operahan kasi baka lumala lang yung damage sa brain nya. Binigyan ng doctor ng 6 mos. si ate. 6 mos if mag-f-function pa sya or hindi. If hindi, gulay na. So, miracle lang daw talaga. Please pray. Wala pa rin siyang malay." Help us pray for Lordei and her family. May justice be served.