MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Imee Marcos raised the need to strengthen security in schools, including the installation of more closed circuit televisions (CCTVs) and metal detectors, following the series of violent incidents involving young students.
She deplored the shooting incident at the San Jose National High School in Tacloban City on June 22 which led to the killing of three students and the separate stabbing incidents in schools in Cavite.
“Bilang isang Waray, masakit ito para sa akin {As a Waray, it saddened me)," Marcos said in a statement.
The senator's mother, former first lady Imelda Marcos hails from Tacloban City,
"We should ask whether there is enough security [in schools]. There is a need to study a stricter screening, installation of CCTV, clearer emergency protocols, and if budget permits, set up metal detectors or conduct bag inspection," she said.
"Dapat sana nag-eensayo ang mga bata para sa parada sa piyesta, pero nauwi sa trahedya (The children were supposed to have been practicing for the fiesta's parade but it led to tragedy)," she said.
"Hindi ko matanggap na mga bata ang biktima, tapos mga menor de edad din ang may gawa (I can't accept that the victims are young, and the perpetrators are minors also),” Marcos added.
Sen. Raffy Tulfo on Monday echoed Marcos' proposal as he welcomed the directive of Education Secretary Sonny Angara to implment school safety measures nationwide, including the use of hand-held metal detectors and installation of CCTVs.
"Bagama't umaksyon na ang DepEd (Department of Education), ang tanong ay 'bakit ngayon lang' (Although the DepEd already acted [on the matter], the question was, 'why only now')?," Tulfo asked.
"Dati ko pang iminungkahi ang mga ito. Pero bakit kinailangan pang maraming buhay ang masayang bago sila kumilos (I've been proposing these [measures] before. But why wait for lives to be lost before they would act)?" he added.
