Bacolod City College (BCC) shifted to online classes on Thursday as a security precaution after a threatening note was discovered inside the school comfort room, Mayor Greg Gasataya announced Wednesday night.
School officials reported the incident to authorities immediately after finding the note around 2:05 p.m.
The message written on a brown piece of paper warned teachers and students to be careful on Thursday and threatened that bullies would be ‘finished off,’ though it provided no specific details.
‘Especially sa mga bullies ubuson ta kamo tanan (Especially for the bullies, I will finish you all off)’, the writer said.
In response, the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) deployed personnel to secure the campus, initiate an investigation, and confer with school administrators.
‘Educational institutions must remain inviolable safe havens for our youth. We stand resolute in our duty to protect our educational institutions, ensuring they remain secure environments for learning,’ Gasataya said.
The city government is coordinating directly with Col. Eugene Rebadomia, the city police director, to identify the person responsible for the note.
The temporary transition to virtual learning will allow the police and the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office time to conduct comprehensive security briefings and an emergency protocol symposium for all BCC faculty and staff.
‘We will ensure that all necessary measures are in place to keep the BCC community safe,’ the mayor assured.