Police say school opening peaceful

CEBU, Philippines – Police officials said the opening of classes yesterday was generally peaceful with no untoward incident reported.

Cebu City Police Office director Patrocinio Comendador said he went through all the elementary and high schools in the city during the opening of classes yesterday and was pleased with the peace and order situation.

The police official said they conducted an hourly monitoring of the different schools in the city and so far, as of yesterday afternoon, there were no reported incident on snatching, thievery, and other petty crimes involving students.

Except for Pardo police conducting roving patrols in their area of jurisdiction, there was a full deployment of beat patrols in the different schools zones in the city and members of the Traffic Group were also placed in tandem with the police personnel.

“Most schools are being attended to and are secured,” Comendador said.

CPPO acting director Supt. Erson Digal personally visited the town of Minglanilla and Talisay City yesterday to check how the opening of classes was going on. He was satisfied of what he saw especially in Talisay City Central School where students were briefed on what they should or should not do while in schools.

“Lipay ko kay naa sila’y program didto, unya akong nakit-an nga apil ang pulis ug bombero nga speaker sa maong program,” Digal said.

Digal added that starting last Friday he already ordered all the chiefs of police to be on full alert especially on the opening of classes. He also thanked the barangay officials and tanods for helping secure the schools in their respective areas.

“Smooth sailing ang dagan sa abli sa klase karon hinaot lang ko nga walay mga panghitabo sa umaabot nga mga adlaw,” Digal added.

Meanwhile, the newly appointed director of the Police Regional Office (PRO-7) Chief Supt. Lani-O Nerez will meet with other police officials in the region, including intelligence officers and security agencies to talk about the opening classes.

Supt. Noel Gillamac, head of Police Community Relation (PCR) said that the regional director wants that the schools’ premises be crime-free zones especially with the start of the new school year.

Nerez also wants to meet with the officials of security agencies to know their plans in their respective area of jurisdiction and invite students to join so they would be aware of their plans.

At the first day of classes, the police said it is expected that crime would be lesser. However, some first year students allegedly start joining fraternities or gangs and take drugs later on. — Niña G. Sumacot and Christopher Gabriel C. Bonjoc/WAB (THE FREEMAN)