𝐆𝐎𝐕. 𝐏𝐀𝐌 𝐌𝐄𝐄𝐓𝐒 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐎𝐑𝐒 𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐋 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐒, 𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄
Three minors involved in separate incidents of school threats and violence personally appeared before Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro with their parents on Monday, July 13, to apologize for the alarm they caused among the public and the burden their actions placed on authorities and other individuals.
Two of the minors, aged 12 and 13, are from Talisay City and were traced by police as the individuals behind two separate incidents of online threats posted on Facebook pages associated with two schools in the city.
The third minor, 17, from Carcar City, was brought to the police for questioning after figuring in an altercation outside a school while brandishing a bladed weapon.
A visibly concerned Gov. Baricuatro told the minors that the Provincial Government does not take threats and acts of violence lightly and is duty-bound to enforce the law.
“We cannot take this sitting down,” Gov. Baricuatro said during the closed-door discussion at the Governor’s Conference Room, which took place upon the invitation of the Provincial Peace and Order Council.
“However, wala mo gipaari aron kasab-an. Gusto ko mahibawo nganong nabuhat to ninyo ug unsay akong matabang aron dili nani mausab.”
Also present during the meeting were Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Cebu Provincial Director Dr. Jesus Robel Sastrillo Jr. and Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO) Director Police Colonel (PCOL) Abubakar Udang Mangelen Jr.
SCHOOL THREATS AND BULLYING
The two Talisay City minors admitted they were influenced by the deadly school shooting in Tacloban City and copied what they had seen online by posting a school threat in the hope that classes would be suspended.
One of the minors admitted he was unprepared for an upcoming test and believed the threat would buy him more time.
“Gisunod ra nako akong nakita sa social media,” one of the minors admitted.
Meanwhile, the Carcar City minor said he brought a bladed weapon because he had grown tired of being bullied by fellow students.
He recounted that, on one occasion, he was buying sacks when one bully kicked him while another punched him. Wanting to get even, he brought the weapon and confronted his alleged tormentors before barangay tanods intervened and turned him over to the police for questioning.
ANOTHER CHANCE
The parents of the three minors, who accompanied their children during the meeting, told the governor they had little time to closely monitor their children’s activities both online and offline because of work.
Gov. Baricuatro reminded them that supervising their children is just as important as providing for their daily needs.
She also urged the minors not to believe everything they see on social media, citing the widespread presence of misinformation and content that promotes violence and hatred.
“Mga Dodong, dili tanang makita ninyo sa social media tinuod. Daghan kaayong misinformation diha, ug ako mismo biktima ana,” she said.
“Ayaw gub-a ang inyong future tungod anang social media kay daghang bakak diha,” she said.
The minors will undergo an intervention program under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) after the government decided to give them another chance.
Before they were dismissed, Gov. Baricuatro embraced each of them and encouraged them to stay away from trouble, focus on their studies, and become responsible members of their communities. /𝑪𝑨𝑷𝑰𝑻𝑶𝑳 𝑷𝑰𝑶, 𝑷𝒉𝒐𝒕𝒐𝒔 𝒃𝒚 𝑨𝑹𝑱, 𝑱𝑳𝑷
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