MANILA, Philippines – Twelve men wearing Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) uniforms raided before dawn Friday a college in Malate, Manila and grabbed guns and communications equipment from stunned security guards.

The men, clad in camouflage pants and armed with high-powered guns, entered at around 1:25 a.m. the St. Scholastica’s College campus at the corner of P. Ocampo and Leon Guinto Streets.

Reports by the Manila Police District Mobile Patrol Unit (MPD-MPU) revealed that the raiders were aboard two vehicles: a black Toyota Revo (XKL-257) and another vehicle that was not identified.

Elvis Condez, security officer in charge, told police investigators they were surprised by the arrival of the “SWAT men” who quickly disarmed the guards on duty.

Condez said the men took two caliber .9 mm pistols, two caliber .38 revolvers, four cellular phones and a handheld radio, then left through Gate 4 on Estrada Street, headed in the direction of South Superhighway.

A ranking official of the MPD who requested anonymity told Inquirer (parent company of INQUIRER.net) that the group simply intended to take the firearms.

“The group could be stocking up on firearms for a future heist,” the official said. He said they could have targeted the school because they had anticipated little resistance from the security guards.

Members of the MPD are conducting follow-up operations and have alerted other police units to intercept the Toyota Revo.

The Inquirer tried to get the side of the school on the heist but calls made to St. Scholastica’s College were unanswered, except for a recorded voice message saying all line operators were busy. A television evening news report, however, said the school would make a statement after an investigation.

MPD Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (CIDU) head Chief Insp. Dominador Arevalo told Inquirer that his men at the theft and robbery section of Station 9 were not allowed to enter the school initially because of an ongoing meeting of officials.

Arevalo said theft and robbery section head Chief Insp. Benigno Macalindong went to the school to look into the robbery but was among those who were prevented from entering the building.