Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. appealed Tuesday to Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) leaders to partner with law enforcement in curbing student-involved violence by helping spot behavioral warning signs early.
In statement, Nartatez highlighted that youth council leaders play a vital role in preventing campus threats before they escalate into physical harm.
“Sangguniang Kabataan officials are in the better position to be active partners in monitoring the youth in their barangays,” Nartatez said. “They are closest to the students and can help us identify early warning signs, report concerns, and guide young people toward positive activities.”
The police chief’s directive comes four days after a fatal shooting inside Banga National High School in South Cotabato that left three students dead and eight others wounded.
The fatalities in the September 18 tragedy included the teenage assailant, who turned the firearm on himself after opening fire on fellow Grade 9 classmates. Investigators revealed that the student accessed a 9mm handgun owned by his father, a Department of Education employee, by forcibly breaking open a home safety vault where the weapon was stored.
In recent operations, law enforcement officers intercepted six students across South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat following gun-related threats circulated over social media channels.
Nartatez urged parents, guardians, and local residents to notify authorities or municipal leaders if they observe worrisome shifts in a young person’s behavior.
“Early reporting allows us to intervene before problems escalate into violence. Protecting our children is a shared responsibility,” Nartatez stated.
In a separate enforcement operation on Monday, police personnel arrested two siblings, including a student, linked to bomb threats directed at an educational institution in Lipa City, Batangas.
PNP spokesperson Col. Allen Rae Co noted that the threats caused widespread panic throughout the student body.
“We were able to trace them…We applied for Warrant to Disclose Computer Data after finding out they were the source of the threats,” Co explained.
Executing the cybercrime warrant, officers seized two mobile phones and a digital tablet from the suspects.
“They were charged with alarm and scandal, grave threats as well as the violation of the anti-bomb joke law, all in relation to the Cybercrime Prevention Act,” Co added.