Commotion on van causes false holdup alarm

MANILA, Philippines— A commotion inside a passenger van triggered a false holdup alarm in Manila Sunday.

It happened on España Boulevard in front of the University of Santo Tomas, host of the 2014 Bar Exam.

Police Superintendent Mannan Muarip, Manila Police Station 7 chief, said they apprehended a UV Express Van with license plate UVR 246 after receiving a tip that the driver of the vehicle was being held up.

But the driver, whose name he declined to give to media, told INQUIRER.net that he was not being robbed but being pestered by his six unruly passengers.

He said that he picked up the passengers who were apparently drunk at Welcome Rotonda, and he smelled trouble after they become rowdy.

Muarip said that the driver stopped his vehicle at the police-guarded Gate 2 of the UST entrance in an attempt to pacify the passengers.

Realizing that it was not a holdup case, Muarip told the driver of the van and the passengers to go to the Manila Police Station 7 for further investigation.

Authorities from the Manila Police earlier said that the westbound lane of España Boulevard in front of UST will be closed for traffic for the last day of the 2014 bar exams.