BACOLOD City – A Grade 9 student who was initially suspected of possessing illegal drugs has been cleared after forensic examinations confirmed that the white powder recovered from his bag was not methamphetamine hydrochloride, or shabu.
Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) Director Col. Eugene Rebadomia said the Regional Forensic Unit released the laboratory results on July 22, confirming that the contents of the two knot-tied plastic sachets recovered during a routine school inspection on July 20 tested negative for illegal drugs.
“We now consider him a victim rather than a suspect,” Rebadomia said, noting that the police investigation found the student had no involvement in illegal drug possession.
The incident unfolded when a school security guard conducting a routine inspection at the school’s exit gate was informed by another student that a classmate was allegedly carrying a weapon.
Instead of a weapon, the guard discovered two knot-tied plastic sachets containing about 30 grams of white powder, which initially prompted authorities to treat the substance as suspected shabu and seek the assistance of Police Station 3.
Further investigation, however, revealed that another Grade 9 student had allegedly placed the sachets inside the 17-year-old student’s bag before reporting the matter to the security guard.
The cleared student was initially taken into protective custody and later turned over to the barangay social worker and the appropriate Social Development Center for intervention in accordance with laws governing children in conflict with the law.
Secretary to the Mayor Atty. Marty Go said he immediately coordinated with Department of Education (DepEd) Bacolod City Schools Division Officer-in-Charge Superintendent Dennis Develos to ensure that appropriate interventions were provided to the students involved.
As part of the school’s response, both minors have been placed under the Alternative Mode of Learning while the incident is being addressed.
Go said the student who allegedly planted the sachets admitted putting the white powder inside the other student’s bag before reporting the matter to school authorities.
Both students have also been referred to the school’s guidance counselor and will undergo counseling and other intervention programs to address the incident and support their well-being.
Rebadomia also urged the school’s social worker to strengthen intervention efforts and called on parents to closely monitor their children’s activities to help prevent similar incidents.
Authorities said the case highlights the importance of verifying suspected illegal substances through forensic laboratory examination before drawing conclusions, while ensuring that child protection protocols and appropriate educational interventions are observed when minors are involved./PN
