THE UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas has called on the public to refrain from spreading misinformation and to be mindful of their online engagements following the spread of a claim that someone died within its premises.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Feb. 19, the University urged social media users not to cause “unnecessary distress” and to avoid spreading unverified information about sensitive situations, citing an incident near a footbridge along España Boulevard that left one person dead.
“Earlier this afternoon, an unfortunate incident occurred along España Boulevard and claimed the life of a male victim. Contrary to misinformation circulating on social media, the incident did not take place in any of the University’s facilities,” UST said hours after the incident.
“We urge the public to refrain from spreading unverified information that may cause unnecessary distress. Let us be mindful and responsible in our online engagements, especially in sensitive situations such as this,” it added.
The incident happened around 1:20 p.m. near a footbridge, which is outside the UST campus. The body was picked up by authorities at about 3:15 p.m., University officials said in a media briefing.
Gate 2 of the University and the public footbridge were also temporarily shut off to prevent foot traffic in the area. Students and faculty members were directed to Gates 1 and 6 as part of the crowd management measures.
UST encouraged the public to make use of mental, spiritual and health services in times of distress.
In a statement relayed to block presidents, the UST Central Student Council (CSC) urged Thomasians to refrain from engaging and sharing social media content related to the incident out of respect for the victim and his family.
“This is a time for understanding, not speculation. We encourage our fellow students to be mindful of the impact that circulating such material can have on those closely connected to the incident and on the community at large,” CSC said.
The student council also urged Thomasians to seek professional help during difficult situations. F
