BACOLOD CITY – The Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) has intensified intelligence monitoring, community engagement, and security measures in educational institutions in the region to ensure the safety and security of students following recent cases of school-related violence in Cavite and Tacloban City.

Police Brig. Gen. Romano Cardiño, PRO-NIR chief, emphasized the importance of early intervention, intelligence gathering, and strengthened partnerships with schools and communities to prevent potential threats from escalating into acts of violence.

“School safety is a shared responsibility,” Cardiño said, stressing that stronger partnerships with schools, parents, local government units (LGUs), and the community can create a secure environment where learners can focus on their education without fear.

Intelligence units have been tasked to enhance Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) and social media monitoring to validate reports of threats and alarming online posts, especially amid reports circulating on social media linking some incidents to online content, music preferences, and gaming platforms.

The PRO-NIR said that gaming activities alone do not constitute criminal behavior and that interventions shall focus on credible threats and risk indicators supported by intelligence validation.

As part of intensified security measures, Cardiño ordered police to strengthen coordination with the Department of Education (DepEd), school administrators, guidance counselors, barangay officials, Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs), and LGUs to identify and address emerging security concerns affecting learners and educational institutions.

The PRO-NIR said Barangay Information Networks (BINs), school-based informants, and community stakeholders should be strengthened to facilitate the timely reporting of threats, bullying incidents, intimidation, and other behaviors that may indicate planned acts of violence, while ensuring strict adherence to legal and human rights standards.

To boost preparedness and crisis response capabilities, the PRO-NIR encouraged schools, LGUs, emergency responders, and law enforcement agencies to conduct regular security awareness seminars, emergency preparedness training, and simulation exercises.

Schools were encouraged to review and enhance their existing security protocols, emergency response procedures, and threat assessment mechanisms to ensure preparedness in addressing potential incidents.

Authorities stressed that early intervention programs and anti-bullying initiatives play a vital role in identifying at-risk individuals and preventing violent behavior before it occurs.

The PRO-NIR assured the public that any individual responsible for acts of violence within educational institutions will be subjected to swift investigation and appropriate legal action in accordance with existing laws.

“We encourage everyone to immediately report any credible threat or suspicious activity so that appropriate preventive measures can be undertaken,” Cardiño said.

Preventive patrols will be intensified in areas surrounding educational institutions and during major school activities and police visibility will be heightened through regular security surveys and inspections in schools and other places of convergence, including churches, transport terminals, malls, and public spaces, particularly during school opening and dismissal hours.