Guadalupe chief to talk school security with parents, teachers, cops

Guadalupe Barangay Captain Michael Gacasan is taking action to address security in schools in the barangay. | CDN file photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Barangay Guadalupe captain is organizing a Parent-Teacher Conference and coordinating with police to address the security in schools in the area amid the recent stabbing of a student in the barangay.

Guadalupe Barangay Captain Michael Gacasan said in a July 8 phone interview with CDN Digital that he planned to hold a meeting with teachers and parents of a public national high school in the barangay.

He said he made the decision after the teachers of the victim, a Grade 10 student, visited his office and told him that it might have involved gangs from another area in the city.

“Magpatawag mi og PTC kay para ma-aware ang ginikanan, (We will call for a PTC so the parents would be aware of the situation),” said Gacasan, who would like the parents and teachers to help monitor their students and children.

The attack on Baclayon last July 1 was one of three attacks since the start of the month on students and teacher in Cebu and Lapu-Lapu City and Moalboal town in southwestern Cebu.

Read more: Student found dead in Moalboal

In the three attacks, only Baclayon survived. A Grade 10 student in Moalboal was killed on July 4. He was allegedly bashed in the head with a hammer and was believed to have been robbed by unidentified assailants.

Read more: Cops eye robbery motive in murder of Grade 10 student in Moalboal

On June 5, a 34-year-old public school teacher was killed in front of his boarding house in Barangay Mactan. He had just came from school when he was shot by a motorcycle-riding assailant. He died in the hospital later.

Read more: Mactan attack: Teacher, shot in front of boarding house, dies in hospital

The deadly attack on the teacher also prompted the Mactan police to consider tightening security in schools in the area.

Read more: Deadly attack on teacher prompts Mactan cops to consider increasing visibility in schools

Meanwhile, Barangay Guadalupe Captain Gacasan said that he was verifying reports that the assailants of Baclayon were allegedly from V. Rodriguez Street in Cebu City and were members of a gang.

He also found out that the stabbing victim, Jeremiah Baclayon, was not the target of the assailants. 

Gacasan said that Baclayon was trying to help a friend whom he accompanied on his way home from night classes in a national high school in the barangay.

The friend of Baclayon was allegedly the target of the assailants, and Baclayon was stabbed after he tried to defend his friend from the assailants.

Gacasan said that he was also coordinating with police since the attack on Baclayon and his friend happened near the police station.

He said the attack would show that the assailants did not fear the police because they even made their crime near a police station.

He said that fortunately Baclayon survived the stabbing attack, but it had caused him to spend time in a hospital so that his wounds would be treated.

With this, Gacasan said that he was coordinating with police with regard to implementing security measures in schools in the barangay especially security measures against gangs./dbs