Eastern Samar high school resumes classes after security clearance

TACLOBAN CITY — Classes resumed Friday afternoon at the Eastern Samar National Comprehensive High School (ESNCHS) in Borongan City after police declared the campus free of bomb and gun threats.

But only a handful of the school’s more than 4,000 students returned as fears lingered among parents.

Morning classes were suspended after an alleged bomb and gun threat circulated on social media, prompting school officials to seek police assistance and halt classes as a precaution.

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READ: Bomb, gun threats shut down Eastern Samar’s largest high school

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After a thorough security sweep by the Philippine National Police’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD)-K9 Unit and Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team, the Borongan City Police Station declared the campus safe at 8:35 a.m.

Acting Principal Dean Ernest Paul Hermano then announced that classes would resume at 1 p.m. after authorities gave the all-clear.

Despite the clearance, attendance remained low as many parents chose to keep their children at home due to safety concerns.

Hermano lamented the disruption, saying the incident not only interrupted classes but also caused anxiety among students, parents, and school personnel.

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“This is very unfortunate because classes that were supposed to proceed had to be interrupted. We ask our parents to bear with us because our priority is the safety and security of our students and personnel,” he said in a radio interview.

The scare came less than two weeks after the June 22 mass shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, where two minor suspects allegedly opened fire inside a classroom, killing three students and injuring 20 others. The attack heightened concerns over campus security across Eastern Visayas and prompted schools to tighten safety measures.

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READ: School shooting kills 3 in Tacloban

Police later identified three Grade 11 students allegedly linked to the social media post that triggered the scare. The minors have been placed under the custody of the Borongan City Social Welfare and Development Office while authorities continue their investigation.

In a statement, the Department of Education (DepEd) regional office said it immediately coordinated with the Schools Division Office of Borongan City and the Philippine National Police to implement established safety protocols, including the suspension of classes and a comprehensive inspection of the school grounds.

“The safety, security, and well-being of every learner and DepEd personnel remain our highest priority,” Regional Director Salustiano Jimenez Jr. said, adding that the department remains committed to strengthening campus security and learner protection mechanisms across Eastern Visayas.

Meanwhile, Borongan City police acting chief Lt. Col. Silver Cabanillas reminded the public that posting bomb threats or similar messages on social media—even as a prank—is a criminal offense punishable under Philippine law.

READ: PNP warns of rise in school threats, urges public to verify reports

He said police investigators, together with the City Social Welfare and Development Office, school guidance counselors, and DepEd’s Learner Rights and Protection focal persons, conducted the initial investigation while ensuring that the rights and welfare of the minors were protected.

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Authorities also urged the public to refrain from sharing unverified information online, warning that false threats not only violate the law but also sow unnecessary panic and disrupt classes./coa