School kids in good hands, city's top cop assures
Over 60,000 school children in public elementary and high schools throughout Iloilo City are in good hands. In fact, with hundreds of uniformed police officers deployed here, Senior Superintendent Wesley Barayuga, Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) director said "back to school" peace and order conditions are thus far "all well, all good."
On the third day of regular classes for public school students, police visibility was noticeable in all public schools alongside the whole day presence of traffic police and plainclothes' intelligence officers.
Yet there is still a need for vigilance, Senior Supt. Barayuga said in a The News Today (TNT) phone interview while saying "lahat tayo kailangang magbantay (we all need to be on guard)."
Area of police concern is the vicinity outside University of Philippines (UP) along General Luna Street not because of crime issues, Senior Supt. Barayuga quipped, but on the traffic caused by the multi-million construction of a road fly-over project here.
The ICPO has since warned students against the resurgence of cellphone snatching, pickpockets and other street crimes normally on its high come school days. In this, Senior Supt. Barayuga called on the students to be extra cautious.
Meantime, it would also be back to school for select police personnel of the ICPO albeit only during flag-raising ceremony in public schools.
Senior Supt. Barayuga said starting next week city cops will have a moment with the students and school officials to talk about staying safe in and out of the school.