Metro Manila Police Chief Superintendent suggests surprise drug inspections in schools by teachers

• Metro Manila Police Chief Superintendent Guillermo Eleazar urges teachers control the proliferation of illegal drugs in schools.
• The proposal will still be discussed with DepEd Undersecretary Jess Mateo

Newly appointed Metro Manila Police Chief Superintendent Guillermo Eleazar proposes the implementation of surprise drug inspections in schools, which is said to be conducted by teachers.

“I made the coordination with the district supervisor of the DepEd there (Quezon City) and Quezon City Anti-Drug Abuse Advisory Council para i-propose na magkaroon ng random o surprise inspection sa school — locker and bags,”

The shared a past case wherein a teacher found out that one of his Grade 6 students was carrying around 20 sachets of marijuana in the bag. The student admitted to using the illegal drugs and also selling it and this discovery of the teacher led to the arrest of the student’s principal supplier.

The Metro Manila police chief also said that the surprise, random inspections will not be done by police officers but by school teachers only.

“Not to be conducted by the police, but the teachers themselves in coordination probably with the PTA (Parent-Teacher Association). Sila ang gagawa ng guidelines,

Hindi kailangang gawin araw-araw. Itong mga bata iisipin anytime pwede kami ma-inspect so deterrent ‘yun,”

However, names of the students found to be in contact with illegal drugs will not be exposed. The discovery will serve as a guide for their parents and so they can seek help from the school’s guidance counselors.

The proposal has reached the Association of PTA presidents of Quezon City but it will still be discussed with the DepEd Undersecretary Jess Mateo on June 11.

“Schools ang unang target puntahan. Diyan nagsisimula ang curiosity,”