‘Murder of security guard affects school system’

The entire Public School System is impacted by Monday’s murder of a security guard stationed at Marianas High School, some PSS principals said yesterday.

“To happen on a school ground, its sad. It’s going to take time to heal,” said Jonas Barcinas, principal at Dandan Elementary School.

Efren Ballesteros, an employee of Global Security Agency, died from head trauma inflicted sometime during late Monday or early Tuesday. Several classrooms had also been burglarized.

“It’s affecting our school,” said Hopwood Jr. High School principal Christine Masga. “Now our school is worried. I’m worried for our security guard. I’m worried for anybody who is going to be here late at night, it’s a scary thought. It could happen to anybody.”

Barcinas said the tragedy has opened everyone’s mind about leaving the school campus late at night.

“Even me, as a school principal, I leave late. It scares me now,” he said.

Dandan Elementary does not have a security guard because of a lack of funding, but in the past the school has worked with Global Security, Barcinas said. He said he has talked with Education Commissioner Rita Sablan about earmarking money for security guards for all schools or networking with the Department of Public Safety.

Yvonne Reyes, principal of Garapan Elementary, said her first thought upon hearing the news of Ballesteros’ death was sadness.

“My initial reaction is really sadness and just sympathy for the family,” she said. “My first thought that came to mind is ‘did we know him?’”

GES also employs a security guard from Global Security. Reyes said.

Reyes said now is the time for PSS to evaluate the security system.

“As a system, I think there are precautions we can take administratively,” she added. “I think the more important thing right now is to sit back as a system and think about the type of security at schools, in relation to the school’s population.”

There is one security guard at GES at night, on weekends and during the holidays. The guard monitors 38 classrooms, the main office building, the special education building and the cafeteria, Reyes said.

If there are multiple assailants, it’s hard for one guard to fight back, she said.

“There’s no way one person could fight off burglars, and if [the burglars are] intoxicated or on any type of substance, that’s even harder to do,” she said. “Maybe if there is additional funding we can allow more security at large campuses or even smaller campuses, so they can fight them off or at least call for help.”

Even before the murder at MHS, Masga said she was interested in partnering a school security aide with the private company security guard during the most dangerous hours.

During the last operation pay period, Hopwood did have two security guards but had to cut back, she said. There were a lot of burglaries taking place, and the guards did help lower the crime level.

This is not the first time Masga said she has seen a school security guard hurt. Some boys beat up a security guard during last year’s March Against Cancer.

It’s time, Masga said, for everyone to work together to stop the crime. “We need to get to the bottom of this. The community needs to get involved,” she added.