President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered a thorough probe of the shooting incident at the Banga National High School that left three dead and six injured on Friday.
Marcos also tasked the Department of Education, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, and the Philippine National Police to submit a report about the measures undertaken by the government agencies in the light of the three school shooting incidents that happened in the third quarter of the year.
“Sa mga susunod na araw, ilalabas natin ang karagdagang mga hakbang upang tugunan ang mga puwang na nananatili at mas mapangalagaan ang ating mga mag-aaral,” the President said in a statement.
He went on: “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.”
Marcos said the country cannot just accept the incidence of school shootings as a way or fact of life.
“Muli tayong nahaharap sa isang trahedyang hindi dapat danasin ng sinumang magulang, paaralan, o komunidad,” the President said.
He extended his sympathies to the families of the students killed in the tragedy and assured the families of those injured that they will receive medical assistance.
Marcos noted that this is the third school shooting this quarter, after previous incidents in Tacloban City and Zamboanga City.
“Inutusan ko na ang ating mga ahensya na palakasin ang seguridad sa mga paaralan at gawin ang lahat ng kinakailangan upang maiwasan ang muling paglitaw ng ganitong trahedya,” he 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 President added.
The shooter was among those killed in the school shooting in South Cotabato.