By Sarwell Meniano
TACLOBAN CITY – The strengthened coordination of school authorities and the local government unit with the police has prevented an alleged plan to attack a school in Naval, Biliran, the Police Regional Office 8 (PRO-8) said on Thursday.
PRO-8 said in a statement that the move was highlighted by the swift response of the Naval Municipal Police Station (MPS) to a reported security threat involving a plan by unidentified high school students to carry out a shooting incident at the Biliran Province State University (BiPSU) Laboratory High School (LHS) in Naval town.
Authorities learned about the threat through a letter found at the BiPSU Student Center on Sept. 22.
Naval MPS personnel, together with the BiPSU Crisis Management Team, BiPSU-LHS faculty, and the Naval local government unit, convened a coordination meeting to assess and validate the report.
Authorities also called for an emergency parent-teacher association meeting to address the concerns of the school community.
PRO-8 Regional Director Brig. Gen. Romano Cardiño said the police regional office is treating reports of threats against schools as matters requiring immediate attention.
He directed police units to coordinate closely with school authorities and concerned local agencies to ensure the timely assessment of reports and appropriate response to potential security concerns.
“The safety of our learners is a shared responsibility. We heavily urge parents and guardians to closely monitor their children’s activities, behavior, and interactions, especially when they notice anything unusual or concerning,” Cardiño said.
“Any information about threats or suspicious activities must be reported immediately to the proper authorities. Every report deserves our attention, and through early reporting and coordinated action, we can prevent threats from escalating and help keep our schools safe,” he added.
The response is part of the wider security measures being reinforced by PRO-8 in schools and their immediate surroundings.
Police units are increasing their visibility around school areas, maintaining regular communication with school officials, and strengthening mechanisms for the prompt reporting and assessment of security concerns.
The police regional office reminded parents, school personnel, students, and other members of the school community to immediately report suspicious activities or information that may pose a threat to school safety.
