TACLOBAN CITY: Classes were suspended Friday (July 3) at Eastern Samar National Comprehensive High School (ESNCHS) in Borongan City after an online post containing alleged bomb and gun threats triggered a security response from police authorities.
This happened just days after the deadly shooting at a high school in Tacloban City heightened concerns over campus safety across Eastern Visayas and the rest of the country.
The administration of Eastern Samar National Comprehensive High School (ESNCHS) ordered the suspension of classes on Friday following the circulation of an online post allegedly associated with Grade 11 Kitchen Operations (Cookery) students that contained bomb and gun threats.
In an official statement signed by Acting School Head Dean Ernest Paul Hermano, the school said the suspension was ordered by the officer-in-charge principal upon the recommendation of the Borongan City Police Station to ensure the safety and security of students, faculty members, and staff.
The decision was made in coordination with the Office of the Schools Division Superintendent and the Assistant Schools Division Superintendent of the Department of Education (DepEd) Borongan City Division.
Law enforcement authorities immediately deployed a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team to inspect and secure the areas where the online photos were reportedly taken.
Following a thorough security sweep, PLTCOL Silver Cabanillas, acting chief of the Borongan City Police Station, declared the campus free of any bomb and gun threats as of 8:35 a.m. on Friday.
“We assure the public that ESNCHS takes all security threats seriously. We are fully cooperating with the authorities in their ongoing investigation to ensure accountability and to maintain a safe learning environment for everyone,” the school administration said in its statement.
Authorities have yet to identify the individual or individuals responsible for the online post, and an investigation remains ongoing.
The incident comes less than two weeks after the June 22 shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, where a student opened fire inside the campus, killing three students and injuring 20 others.
The tragedy prompted schools and local government units across Eastern Visayas to tighten security measures, strengthen police visibility, and review emergency response protocols.
ESNCHS, considered the largest public high school in Eastern Samar and the province’s flagship secondary school, serves thousands of students from Borongan City and neighbouring municipalities.
The latest bomb and gun threat is among several school-related security incidents reported in Eastern Visayas in recent days, prompting authorities to urge the public to refrain from spreading unverified information online and to immediately report any threats to law enforcement agencies for proper assessment and action. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
