PNP urges schools to allow cops inside their premises to deter crimes

FILE PHOTO: PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — In light of the crimes that have recently been taking place on school grounds, the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday urged schools to let uniformed personnel in their premises, saying that police presence may act as a “crime deterrent” in such areas.

PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. broached the idea in a news briefing after being asked about the stabbing incident at Culiat High School in Quezon City that resulted in the death of a 13-year-old student on Friday.

READ: Violence in school: Teen stabs classmate dead in Quezon City 

“We will require our PNP, sabi ko nga, hindi lang kasi dapat iyong opening ng klase iyong presensya ng ating pulis ay nandoon. The PNP should always be there, especially during the time na mayroong school activities,” he said.

(We will require our PNP because, as I said, our presence shouldn’t be there only when classes open. The PNP should always be there, especially during school activities.)

Azurin then called on public and private schools to allow the PNP to beef up its presence on school grounds which, he said, may help deter crime.

“Sana iyong ibang mga school natin, hindi lang po iyong mga pampublikong eskwelahan, even iyong mga private school, they would allow the presence of the PNP uniformed personnel sa school premises nila kasi deterrent din sa crime iyan eh. Iyong presensya ng ating pulis,” the country’s top cop said.

(So I hope other schools, not just the public schools, even the private schools, would allow the presence of the PNP uniformed personnel in their school premises because that can also serve as a deterrent to crime. The presence of our police.)

Azurin then cited a practice by the police regional office (PRO) in Calabarzon, where its officers are tasked to raise the flag in schools.

“Ang maganda nga diyan, if we can copy iyong ginagawa ng PRO [Calabarzon] na roon sa flag raising, kung may mga flag raising ceremony iyong school na kino-conduct, pulis po iyong nagtataas ng bandera ng school, so nakikita po ng ating estudyante na mayroong pulis, may presensya ang pulis sa kanilang school,” he added.

(The good thing is if we can copy what PRO Calabarzon is doing in the flag raising when the school conducts its flag raising, police are the ones raising the flag so that students can see the presence of police in the school.)

According to the PNP chief, this will allow students to approach or call for police assistance anytime within school hours.

But as per the Department of Education Order No. 32, s. 2019, also known as the National Policy Framework on Learners and Schools as Zones of Peace, “schools, as a general rule, should be free from the presence of armed combatants, whether from government forces or armed groups.”

“Armed force protection units from government forces, if needed, shall be situated proximate to the school and not inside the school,” it further states.  Niña Cuasay, INQUIRER.net trainee

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