Press Release
September 8, 2016

ANGARA CALLS FOR TIGHTER CAMPUS SECURITY AS BOMB SCARES HIT SCHOOLS

Senator Sonny Angara has urged school and police authorities to beef up security measures in campuses after several colleges in Manila got a series of bomb threats in the wake of the deadly explosion in Davao City.

"While such bomb scares turned out to be a hoax, we should not take these threats lightly, and authorities must remain on full alert and take extra precautions to ensure the safety of the students. Mapapanatag lang po ang kalooban ng mga estudyante at ng mga magulang nila kung may kaukulang seguridad ang paaralan na sisigurong walang anumang panganib dito," Angara said.

Among the schools at the university belt near Malacanang that received bomb threats include the College of the Holy Spirit Manila, Centro Escolar University, San Beda College, Eulogio "Amang" Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology, Emilio Aguinaldo College, as well as the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City.

Earlier today, the Philippine College of Criminology has suspended its classes after receiving a bomb threat which turned out to be negative.

For his part, Angara has filed Senate Bill 946 or the Campus Safety and Security Act that seeks to establish a Crime Prevention Committee (CPC) in all colleges and universities tasked to formulate policies and strategies that will help protect students from threats to their safety and security.

Under the proposed measure, the CPC shall formulate and implement crime prevention strategies and programs concerning campus safety and campus law enforcement to prevent the incidence of theft, robbery, rape and other forms of violence within and outside the school.

The lawmaker explained that his proposed measure aims to arm the students the know-how on courses of action in case of emergency to guarantee security and ensure expedient response and assistance from the authorities.

"Nakakabahala na isa sa mga pinupuntirya ng terorismo ay mga paaralan na kinaroroonan ng mga kabataan. Schools must be conducive to learning and intellectual discourse, not venues for violence and crime. Students should be able to go to school without fear for their physical well-being," Angara said.

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