Student who brought grenade, marijuana to school now under police custody — DepEd

MANILA, Philippines – Police apprehended on Tuesday a Grade 10 student who brought a hand grenade and dried marijuana leaves to a public school in Negros Occidental, according to a statement from a DepEd regional office.

DepEd Division of Negros Occidental said Wednesday that the Talisay City Police Station has already taken the student into custody. 

Based on reports from the police, the student was reported to barangay officials by a pedicab driver whom he threatened to hit on the head with the explosive when the latter refused to bring him to school.

The barangay officials immediately alerted the Talisay City Police Station for an immediate response.

The 21-year-old student was found in his classroom with the hand grenade hidden in his underwear during a search conducted by the police. The police also recovered dried marijuana leaves and a tooter – a type of drug paraphernalia – in his bag. 

Classes at Rafael B. Lacson Memorial High School were suspended after police removed the grenade and other students in the area were evacuated to a parking lot to ensure their safety.

The incident has prompted school administrators to review its safety and security protocols to ensure all members of its academic community remain protected.

The DepEd division office said that the school administration will be “closely coordinating with the police authorities and other agencies and will provide all help needed” until the case is resolved. 

Local education officials will also ensure that students in the school will receive psychosocial support, its statement added.

The DepEd office also cautioned all students “to be more mindful and responsible for their decisions and actions as these have corresponding consequences eventually.”

Tighter security measures 

Alliance of Concerned Teachers Secretary-General Raymond Basilio said in a phone call to Philstar.com that it is time for DepEd to require at least one security personnel to be stationed at every public school.

Technically, DepEd does not have plantilla positions for the hiring of security guards or personnel in public schools, Basilio said. Schools determine how it will hire contractual security personnel using their Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE).

“What we are asking DepEd is to have regular items for security personnel to secure the safety of our learners,” Basilio said in Filipino.

DepEd spokesperson Michael Poa said in an ambush interview on Tuesday that the department has entered into a memorandum of agreement with the Philippine National Police.

 While he did not share specific details about the agreement, he said that it is an arrangement related to the department’s efforts to tighten security measures in schools.

Basilio said, however, that police are not specifically trained to handle cases involving children in schools.

"When it comes to police, their direct supervisor or superior won't be the school head. And in terms of commanding security personnel, forming a security plan — we know that these should come from the school,” Basilio said.