The Department of Education-Schools Division of Negros Occidental (DepEd-NegOcc) has vowed continued protection for learners and teachers after a student of Rafael B. Lacson Memorial High School (RBLMHS) in Talisay City was recently found with a hand grenade and illegal drugs inside the campus.
“DepEd Schools Division Negros Occidental reassures all learners, parents, staff, and other stakeholders that it is taking this incident very seriously and the safety and security of everyone in the school community are its top priority,” Neg. Occ. Schools Division Superintendent Anthony Liobet said in a statement on Thursday, March 13.
The suspect, Bronson Lucas Lacson, 21, a Grade 10 student, has been detained at the Talisay City Police Station since the incident took place on April 4.
On that day, classes were suspended at the RBLMHS after policemen recovered a hand grenade and dried marijuana leaves from Lacson, a resident of Barangay Zone 6.
Authorities responded when a pedicab driver reported to the barangay that the student threatened to hit him with the explosive when he refused to take him to school.
In the statement, DepEd-NegOcc, which condemned the incident, said learners were evacuated as part of the police emergency protocol and the school principal also called the division superintendent to inform him of the incident and asked permission to suspend classes.
“The school administration is closely coordinating with the police authorities and other agencies and will provide all help needed until this case is finally resolved,” it said.
“With the help of other partners, the administration will also conduct a thorough review of its safety and security protocols to ensure that all learners and personnel are well-protected while in school,” it added.
DepEd-NegOcc said it will also “provide all the necessary assistance to bring back normalcy in the school, including the conduct of psychosocial support interventions for all those who have been traumatized by the incident”. *PNA