Security, Bomb Threats Rock Several Schools

Less than a week after a school shooting that left three people dead in South Cotabato, panic again erupted at several school grounds in Metro Manila as well as in Biliran due to security alerts, including bomb threats – hours apart from each other – at two campuses of the Far Eastern University.

Bomb threats forced the suspension of classes and triggered heightened security alerts on Far Eastern University (FEU) campuses in Manila and Muntinlupa, and at public high schools in Quezon City and Biliran on Thursday, Sept. 24, and on Wednesday, Sept. 23.

The latest security scare came in the wake of gun violence at the Banga National High School in South Cotabato, which left three people dead. In August, a junior high school student shot dead a fellow student at the Ateneo de Zamboanga before killing himself. In June in Tacloban City, two high school students went on a shooting spree, killing three schoolmates.

Suspension of high school and college classes and of other on-site operations took effect at 11 a.m. on Thursday on FEU’s Alabang campus after a bomb threat. Muntinlupa police found no bomb upon inspection.

On Wednesday, the university’s main campus on Morayta, Manila, cut short classes as a precautionary measure in response to a similar threat.

Normal operations resumed on Thursday after the Manila Police District’s explosive ordnance disposal and canine group found no bomb or any trace of explosives.

According to reports, the threat on FEU’s Morayta campus was posted on social media on Wednesday at around 7 p.m., alerting initially the central student council and the medical technology society.

In an advisory, FEU said its safety and security office coordinated with authorities to assess the threat, which prompted school authorities to order an evacuation of the campus.

“All buildings, restrooms, and other campus areas were inspected manually and with bomb-detection canines. No explosive devices were found,” the FEU Central Student Organization reported.

Police increased visibility and intensified gate-level security inspections as classes resumed on Thursday.

The university said it is “closely working with law enforcement” to determine the origin of the bomb threat.

Threat on FB

In Quezon City, a bomb threat posted on Facebook also disrupted classes at the Don A. Roces High School.

Police responded to a request for assistance from school officials after an apparent prankster posted a bomb threat on the school’s Facebook page.

Operatives from the Kamuning police station and the district police’s anti-bomb squad went to the school in Barangay Obrero to check but found no explosive or hazardous materials. As a precautionary measure, school administrators suspended classes and administrative operations.

An investigation is underway to identify the person responsible for the bomb scare. Police reminded people to refrain from sharing unverified information on their social media accounts to avoid causing panic.

Police in Eastern Visayas, meanwhile, have tightened security in schools following a shooting threat at the Biliran Province State University Laboratory High School in Naval town.

Brig. Gen. Romano Cardino, Eastern Visayas police director, said on Thursday a letter was found on campus last Tuesday stating that several students were planning to carry out an attack. Police are validating the threat in coordination with school officials.

“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,” Cardino said in a statement.

Cardino also urged the people in the region to report suspicious activities in their community. There was a security threat advisory posted on the Facebook page of a college in Iloilo City but this was later taken down.

B.E.S.T. system

As the nation tries to come to terms with recent cases of school violence, the Philippine National Police said it eyeing a unified approach to keep students safe from harm, including through the institutionalization of a school emergency alert system in the country.

PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said they are considering adopting a technology-driven platform developed by the Calabarzon police to strengthen coordination among the police and other law enforcement agencies, schools and stakeholders to address security concerns in schools.

Dubbed as the Build Partnership, Early Detection, Swift Alert, Tactical Response (B.E.S.T) School Alert and Rapid Response System, the scheme facilitates immediate reporting, information-sharing and response during emergencies in schools.

“We are exploring the institutionalization of this rapid response system to further help us identify and respond to threats in schools as well as ensure better coordination and swift action in any incident or challenge,” Nartatez said in a statement.

At least 155 schools in Calabarzon will use the application as part of an organized alert and response mechanism to allow faster coordination among law enforcement authorities and other stakeholders.

Nartatez lauded the Calabarzon police for developing the B.E.S.T system, which he called a practical response tool that could be replicated by other police offices and units nationwide.

The proposed system came in response to concerns over recent school shootings in the country this year.

“Technology is a critical aspect of our security and law enforcement, and our personnel must have access to modern facilities and training innovations to improve our security systems,” Nartatez said.

He said they would coordinate with the Department of Information and Communications Technology to further develop and sustain the B.E.S.T platform.

“We have skilled police experts and we are also equipped with advanced technology that can help us elevate our emergency response technique,” he said. – With EJ Macababbad, Emmanuel Tupas