MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered a nationwide reassessment of school security after the deadly Banga National High School shooting in South Cotabato became the country’s third fatal campus shooting in just three months, raising urgent questions over how minors are gaining access to firearms and bringing them into schools.
Marcos directed the Department of Education (DepEd), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Philippine National Police (PNP) to review measures adopted after previous school shootings and identify security gaps that may have allowed another attack to occur.
He also ordered a comprehensive investigation into Friday last week’s shooting, particularly how the minor suspect obtained a firearm and managed to bring it inside the school.
“Muli tayong nahaharap sa isang trahedyang hindi dapat danasin ng sinumang magulang, paaralan, o komunidad,” the president said.
“Nakikiramay ako sa mga pamilyang nawalan ng mahal sa buhay,” he added. “Tinitiyak nating natatanggap ng mga nasugatan ang kailangan nilang gamutan at tulong.”
The shooting occurred at around 1:15 p.m. inside a classroom at Banga National High School in Barangay Benitez, Banga, South Cotabato.
Three students, including the Grade 9 gunman, were killed while six others were wounded.
Authorities said the student gunman shot himself after firing at his classmates.
The firearm used in the attack was reportedly a 9mm Glock pistol owned by the suspect’s father, who is a member of a local gun club.
“Iniutos ko rin ang isang masusing imbestigasyon sa naganap na pamamaril ngayong araw, kabilang na kung paano nakakuha at nakapasok ang isang menor de edad ng baril sa loob ng paaralan,” said Marcos.
Police investigators secured and processed the crime scene, gathered evidence and interviewed witnesses as authorities sought to establish the circumstances and motive behind the attack.
The Banga shooting was the third deadly school shooting reported in the Philippines in three months, following separate incidents in Tacloban and Zamboanga.
The string of attacks has intensified scrutiny of existing school security protocols, firearm safekeeping and the ability of authorities and school officials to detect warning signs before violence erupts.
Marcos stressed that school shootings must not become an accepted reality for Filipino children.
“Hindi natin maaaring tanggapin na maging bahagi na lamang ng buhay ng ating mga anak ang mga pamamaril sa paaralan,” the President said. “Karapatan ng ating mga anak na makapag-aral nang walang takot. Karapatan ng mga magulang na maipadala sila sa paaralan nang alam na uuwi silang ligtas. Ito ang pananagutan natin sa bawat pamilyang Pilipino.”
The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), meanwhile, coordinated with Meta to remove videos of the shooting circulating online and block accounts that shared the footage.
CICC Executive Director Renato “Aboy” Paraiso said the agency’s Threat Monitoring Center continued monitoring online activity related to the shooting and urged the public not to repost graphic footage or spread unverified information.
“Patuloy kami sa CICC na nakikipag-ugnayan sa mga social media, gaming, at messaging platforms gayundin sa iba pang concerned agencies at stakeholders para palakasin ang online monitoring, reporting, at preventing measures laban sa cyber-enabled threats at iba pang uwi ng online harm,” said Paraiso.
The CICC warned that circulating graphic material could heighten fear and confusion and potentially encourage copycat violence.
It also urged parents and guardians to closely monitor children’s activities on gaming platforms, messaging applications, online communities and private chats.
Police Regional Office 12 appealed to the public for information that could help investigators determine what led to the shooting and urged social media users to refrain from circulating unverified claims and disturbing images.
The tragedy has also prompted lawmakers to push for stronger firearm safeguards, including stricter requirements for the safe storage of guns to prevent minors and other unauthorized persons from gaining access to them./PN
