La Salle student’s FB post sparks ‘security concern’
A student’s post was behind the “security concern” that prompted La Salle Green Hills (LSGH) in Mandaluyong City to switch to online classes on Thursday as a precaution, according to the police.
“The specific threat was that someone posted on Facebook that they are a shooter. That’s what they said. Shooter. The word shooter was highlighted,” Mandaluyong police chief Col. Reynan Patam told reporters.
“The message was for students who reached out to their parents who then called school officials. That’s when our attention was called,” Patam said.
“Initially, the school administration had a person of interest … For now, we can’t divulge their identity. But, it was confirmed that the person is studying here,” he added without saying whether the student was a male or female.
La Salle Green Hills announced on Wednesday night that because of a “security concern,” all classes from pre-school to Grade 12, including International Baccalaureate and Alternative Education, would be conducted online the next day.
Safety first
“In light of this, and in deep respect, empathy and solidarity regarding the recent heartbreaking incidents in the news, we refuse to leave our campus vulnerable or take any security risks with our students’ safety,” it said.
Patam said that he and Eastern Police District (EPD) director Brig. Gen. Melecio Buslig Jr. met with school officials on Thursday to check security measures at LSGH.
He said that in response to the threat, the Mandaluyong police will be deploying a team of police officers to secure the campus in coordination with school officials. All the law enforcers on duty will be allowed to use only short firearms.
According to the Mandaluyong police chief, the deployment will begin when face-to-face classes resume at the school since officials had previously announce online class arrangements on Friday, Aug. 28 while Monday, Aug. 31, is a holiday.
Threat verification
In a separate statement, the EPD said it had tapped its Anti-Cybercrime Team to “verify the veracity and authenticity of the reported online threat.”
It also tasked the Mandaluyong police to intensify visibility around the school premises.
“The EPD assures the public that the situation is being closely monitored and that appropriate measures are in place to ensure the safety and security of students, faculty, school personnel, and the entire academic community in the Metro East,” it said.
“The public is likewise urged to remain calm and refrain from sharing unverified information that may cause unnecessary alarm,” it added.
The country recently recorded its first mass school shootings, the first at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City on June 22. It was carried out by two students aged 14 and 15 who killed three students and wounded around 20 others.
The next incident happened on Aug. 18 at Ateneo de Zamboanga University. A 14-year-old Grade 8 student shot and killed a Grade 10 student before also killing himself.
