Marcos tasked agencies to look into cases of violence in schools — Palace

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. has tasked concerned agencies to thoroughly look into the cases of violence in school premises.

At a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said the President wants to ensure that the child protection policy of the Department of Education is being enforced in schools. 

''Opo, inutusan na po ng Pangulong Marcos ang DepEd, DILG, PNP, para po maisagawa ang masusing pagiimbestiga patungkol po dito, pati po ang DSWD ay tutulong po na makita at ma-monitor kung ang child protection policy ng DepEd ay naisasagawa po sa bawat eskuwelahan,'' Castro said.

(Yes, President Marcos tasked DepEd, DILG, and PNP to thoroughly investigate these incidents. The DSWD will also help in monitoring if the child protection policy of the DepEd is being properly enforced.) 

''So, muli kailangan po talagang maimbestigahan ito lalo po at mayroong mga menor de edad na nasasangkot po dito at nagiging isyu na po talaga iyong mental health sa mga kabataan. So hindi po ito tutulugan at aaksyunan po ng mga concerned agencies, agad-agad din po,'' she added.

(Again, we need to investigate this as mental health has been an issue among the youth. So, concerned agencies will immediately act on this.)

Increase vigilance

The Department of Education (DepEd) has called on its field offices to increase vigilance and implement stricter preventive measures against school-based violence following a shooting incident in Nueva Ecija.

The agency maintained that in its order (DO) No. 40, s. 2012, titled DepEd Child Protection Policy, “all learners and school personnel are prohibited from committing acts of violence, abuse, and exploitation, as well as from introducing into the school premises or otherwise possessing prohibited articles such as deadly weapons, drugs, alcohol, toxic and noxious substances, and pornographic materials, among others.”

Meanwhile, DO 007, s. 2024, titled the Policy Guidelines on the Implementation of the Revised School-Based Management System, stressed that school communities have a shared duty to ensure that learning environments are safe, secure, inclusive, resilient, and learner-centered.

The Department of Education Central Office had strongly denounced the recent incident of violence that happened at Sta. Rosa Integrated School in Nueva Ecija, in which two individuals were hurt.

Police earlier said a 15-year-old female student was in critical condition after her ex-boyfriend shot her inside a classroom in Barangay Rizal. The victim was shot in the neck after the 18-year-old suspect entered the classroom "without provocation."

Citing witnesses, police narrated that the suspect drew a .22 caliber firearm from his waist and shot the victim before turning the gun on himself.

The 18-year-old man passed away more than 24 hours after the shooting. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News