With strengthened vigilance outside public schools in Eastern Visayas following the shooting incident in Tacloban City last June, authorities said they are now preventing more and more contraband materials from being brought inside campuses.
In Javier, Leyte, for instance, a 14-year-old Grade 9 student was caught in possession of illegal drugs right inside the campus.
According to the Javier Municipal Police Station (MPS), the incident occurred at around 9:20 a.m. at Javier National High School in Poblacion Zone I of this town.
The case came to the attention of police after school authorities sought assistance at about 11:30 a.m., following the apprehension of the student by school personnel, said Javier police chief P/Lt. Jeffrey Tapales.
Initial investigation showed that the minor, along with two other students, was confronted by a school staff member for allegedly loitering near the staircase leading to the school's roof deck.
While being escorted to the guardhouse, the student allegedly pulled a small plastic sachet from his pocket and threw it toward a parked electric bicycle.
The sachet was immediately recovered by the staff member and was found to contain a white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu.
School personnel promptly brought the recovered item and the student to the principal's office before reporting the incident to the Javier MPS, highlighting the close coordination between the school and local police in responding to the situation.
Responding officers coordinated with the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office of Javier and invited two elected barangay officials to witness the inventory of the recovered item. The inventory was conducted in the presence of the social worker, barangay officials and the minor's parent.
Police said efforts were made to secure the presence of a media representative during the inventory, but none was available at the time.
Authorities conducted an on-site investigation, while the suspected illegal drug will be submitted to the Regional Forensic Unit 8 for laboratory examination to determine its weight and confirm its composition.
The minor remains under the appropriate intervention process in accordance with the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act.
Police said the investigation is continuing to determine how the student came into possession of the suspected illegal drug and whether other individuals may have been involved.
(With report from PNA)
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