PNP to give additional security in schools

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday said it will provide additional security in schools following reports of violent incidents inside campuses.

“Ang atin pong PNP ay handang magbigay ng additional security coverage o security assistance kung sakaling kailangan po nila ng karagdagang seguridad,” Marana said at a televised public briefing.

(Our PNP is ready to give additional coverage or security if the schools need it.)

“Ngayon po, mas paiigtingin natin at mas dodoblehin natin yung mga police na bibisita sa eskuwelahan (Now, we will expand the security and double the police deployment that will visit the campuses),” he added.

According to Maranan, PNP chief Police General Rodolfo Azurin Jr. ordered police provincial offices and chiefs of police to coordinate with school officials in strategizing their deployment and operations.

Police personnel will also be tasked to check the bags of students upon their entrance to their campuses.

Maranan said the PNP will focus on schools in the National Capital Region and other big cities.

The Department of Education (DepEd) earlier said it will coordinate with the PNP regarding security measures following the death of a minor who accidentally shot himself with his father’s service firearm inside his school.

DepEd spokesperson Michael Poa said Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte instructed their undersecretaries to direct regional offices and schools division offices to coordinate with their PNP counterparts.

“Specifically, gusto natin mapag-usapan kung pwede mag-identify tayo ng mga schools na pwede na po nating— mag-implement tayo, sa tulong ng PNP, ng checking of bags, spot check ng mga bags," Poa told Super Radyo dzBB Friday.

(So they can help us with security concerns. Specifically, we want to talk about the identification of schools where we can implement spot checking of bags with the help of the PNP.) — RSJ, GMA Integrated News