LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — A concerned parent voluntarily surrendered a bladed object to Criminology interns who were roving and patrolling around the school vicinity.

The interns immediately turned the item over to the Balili Barangay Committee on Peace and Order and the Punong Barangay for proper documentation and appropriate legal action. Authorities suspect the object belongs to a pupil attending Balili Elementary School.

The Barangay Local Government Unit (LGU), in a public advisory, appealed to all parents and guardians to regularly inspect their children's bags and personal belongings before they leave for school. The community was reminded that keeping the school environment safe and secure requires collective vigilance and cooperation from everyone.

This discovery at Balili Elementary School adds to a series of reports concerning weapons brought by young learners into educational institutions across the country. Recent confiscations in various schools nationwide have uncovered items such as knives, brass knuckles, and firearms inside students' backpacks. The trend has triggered heightened alarm among educators, local government units, and law enforcement agencies.

The Department of Education (DepEd) has recently ordered the strict enforcement of policies prohibiting deadly weapons and firearms on all school campuses. The department emphasized that schools must remain safe, secure, and free from potential violence to ensure that learners can study without threats to their safety.

School heads and local police units are increasing visibility and security checks around campus perimeters while establishing stronger partnerships with community leaders. Authorities continue to stress that safety protocols are most effective when parents take an active role at home by routinely monitoring what their children bring to class.