ILOILO City – Authorities seized over six grams of suspected marijuana from four students in two separate school operations in this city on Monday, July 27, prompting calls from law enforcement for tighter school and parental monitoring.
Police personnel responded to a public high school in City Proper district where three minors were reportedly caught by school officials using suspected marijuana inside a comfort room. Recovered from the minors was an improvised glass tube containing around one gram of the said illegal substance.
Shortly after, a 16-year-old student at another high school was caught carrying eight rolled cigarettes containing suspected marijuana during an inspection. The recovered substance weighed approximately 5.3 grams.
All four students were placed under appropriate intervention and protective mechanisms in coordination with the concerned authorities.
Following the arrests, the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) called for heightened vigilance and stronger collaboration among parents, school administrators, and community leaders.
“These incidents are concerning because they involved minors and occurred within the school environment,” said PRO-6 director Brigadier General Randulf Tuaño, emphasizing the need to balance law enforcement with juvenile intervention. “Our response must balance law enforcement with the protection and best interests of the children.”
PRO-6 stated it will intensify coordination with local government units, school authorities, social welfare offices, and other concerned agencies to implement early intervention strategies and prevent illegal drugs from entering schools.
“We want our schools to remain safe spaces for learning. Protecting our children from illegal drugs requires the shared responsibility of the family, the school, the community, and government,” Tuaño added./PN
