Schools threats by students who want to avoid assignments, tests

CEBU, Philippines — Some online threats targeting schools in Cebu were allegedly made by students to avoid examinations, assignments, and other school requirements, according to the Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO).

CPPO Director Police Colonel Abubakar Udang Mangelen Jr. said police investigations showed that most of the threats were made when schools were about to conduct final or oral examinations or when students were required to submit assignments and other schoolwork.

Mangelen made the statement during the Cebu Provincial Board’s regular session last Monday, September 14.

He said some students may have been making the threats to create a reason for schools to suspend classes or postpone academic requirements.

“This is becoming a sort of modus operandi among our students,” Mangelen said.

The CPPO has recorded 19 incidents involving various threats targeting schools in Cebu Province since July.

Of the 19 incidents, 13 have been solved, with the suspects identified and brought to police stations for investigation.

Nine of the 13 solved cases involved minors. Police said the minors were not charged but were instead referred to intervention programs through their respective Municipal Social Welfare and Development Offices.

The CPPO, with assistance from the Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit (RACU), is continuing its investigation into the remaining cases to identify those behind the online threats.

Meanwhile, the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) has rolled out a revitalized security coverage program in schools across Cebu City, combining police foot patrols, mobile patrols and motorcycle units with regular school visits and coordination with school authorities.

CCPO Deputy City Director for Operations Police Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare said the initiative began last September 10 as a proactive measure against school threats and crimes.

The CCPO has so far identified 184 schools across Cebu City, consisting of 93 public schools and 91 private schools.

Pelare said the police are continuing their inventory to identify schools that may not yet have been included so appropriate security measures can be provided based on the needs of each school.

Last September 10, the first day of the revitalized coverage, the CCPO focused its deployment on 69 private schools, where 104 police personnel were deployed. Public schools were holding their Wellness Week.

Most of the personnel were assigned as foot patrollers who went directly to schools, while other schools were covered through mobile patrols and the Tactical Motorcycle Riding Unit.

Pelare said the coverage differs from the usual school security arrangements because police personnel have been instructed to speak with principals and teachers-in-charge.

Police personnel also conduct what Pelare described as “random roving of schools,” including visits to classrooms and conversations with students.

After returning to their regular patrol areas, policemen are required to maintain communication with teachers-in-charge and school security so they can immediately respond to security concerns reported by schools.

Pelare said the CCPO intends to continue the school security coverage rather than treat it as a temporary deployment.

He said police personnel have been designated for the schools, with deployment decisions based on the security needs of each area.

Not all schools face the same level of threat, Pelare said. Police officials will focus their resources on schools with larger populations and areas where there are more people around the school.

For foot deployment, the CCPO can field 290 police personnel across Cebu City to provide security coverage for the 184 identified schools.

However, Pelare clarified that this does not mean every school will have a policeman stationed there around the clock. The CCPO cannot provide 24/7 police presence in all schools because the policemen assigned to school security are also responsible for patrolling their areas.

Instead, policemen will stay in schools during key periods, particularly when students arrive and leave.

After these periods, policemen will return to their patrol areas while maintaining communication with teachers-in-charge and school security personnel.

The school security coverage is also aligned with Oplan Pakigsandurot, a program spearheaded by the Cebu City Government.

Pelare described Oplan Pakigsandurot as the mother program the CCPO follows, with the police office aligning its programs with the city government’s initiative. The initiative seeks to bring police personnel closer to schools and other places of convergence while allowing them to continue their regular patrol responsibilities across Cebu City. — (FREEMAN)