Quezon City Police debunked false social media reports of a school shooting in Barangay Payatas, confirming the loud noise was from nearby construction and not gunfire.
The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) on Thursday dispelled information circulating on social media, particularly Facebook posts, regarding an alleged shooting incident at Bagong Silangan High School, Quezo City.
The QCPD said the reports had been verified and confirmed to be false.
Initial investigation revealed that at around 9 a.m. on 2 July, personnel from the Payatas-Bagong Silangan Police Station (PS 13), led by P/Lt. Col. Rowena Amata, were attending a scheduled meeting with the school administration when they heard a loud commotion from the second floor of the school building.
The responding officers immediately proceeded to the area to verify the situation.
Further assessment revealed that students had heard a loud banging sound coming from a nearby construction site, which was mistakenly perceived as a gunshot.
Police verification confirmed that the sound originated from ongoing construction activities in the area and that no shooting incident had occurred.
The situation was subsequently declared safe and under control, and normal school activities resumed. No injuries or untoward incidents were reported.
The QCPD reminded the public to refrain from sharing unverified information on social media, as doing so may cause unnecessary fear and panic.
The police urged the public to verify information through official government and law enforcement channels before sharing it online.