By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
The spokesperson of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) said over the weekend that the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) have existing programs to protect students against the use of illegal drugs.
This comes after a senior high school student from the Rafael B. Lacson National High School in the province’s Talisay City, was caught bringing suspected dried marijuana to school on May 10.
NOCPPO spokesperson, Police Captain Judesses Catalogo, said the PNP and the DepEd conduct symposiums and dialogues in various schools not just in the province, but in the entire country, informing students of the negative effects of illegal drugs on the human body.
First year high school students also have a program called Drug Abuse Resistance Education which aims to teach them how to avoid illegal drug use.
Other anti-drug programs include the “Kabataan Kontra Droga at Terorismo” and “OPLAN: BES,” wherein the police regularly visit schools as part of its anti-criminality campaign.
Last week, 18-year-old senior high school student Dennis Casiple was arrested after a teacher and a security guard discovered yellow pad paper containing suspected dried marijuana leaves during a routine inspection.
Police also recovered an improvised pipe from Casiple.
The student is currently facing charges for violating Republic Act 9165, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002./DGB, WDJ