THE Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) will meet with teachers and students of public schools, including parents, to discuss how to prevent a repeat of the stabbing incident involving a student of the Mabolo National High School and the attempted beating of a student of the Regino Mercado National High School in Barangay Pahina Central last week.
It wants to educate students and their parents about the consequences of joining gangs, particularly the Bloods and Crips, which the CCPO believes have renewed hostilities since in-person classes resumed in August 2022.
Lieutenant Colonel Maria Theresa Macatangay, CCPO information officer, said they’ve left the task to members of the police community relations office, which has drug prevention and anti-criminality programs for youths.
“Our police community relations office has endeavored to reach out to groups in the local government sector and likewise the student sector, including their parents, so they can assist police in preventing these incidents from happening again,” Macatangay said in a mix of Cebuano and English on Tuesday, September 20, 2022.
She said teachers also play a major role in this endeavor since they’re at the school with the students.
She said parents should also talk to their children about the dangers of joining a gang.
Macatangay said they are monitoring internet cafes near schools because many students who don’t have access to the internet at home hang out in these establishments.
She said the CCPO has already deployed police officers to secure students of public night schools who are going home because this is when attacks usually happen. (AYB, PJB)