Concerned citizen’s timely report helped prevent a potentially dangerous incident at a public school in Tupi, South Cotabato after police intercepted a 16-year-old student carrying a Philippine Army-issued handgun before he could enter the campus.

PNP chief Police General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. said the incident, which occurred two weeks after the 22 June school shooting in Tacloban City, underscores the importance of close cooperation between law enforcement and the community in keeping schools safe.

Police said the incident happened on 7 July after a local government employee reported seeing a student carrying a handgun along the national highway in Barangay Poblacion, Tupi.

Responding officers intercepted the student before he reached the school and recovered an Army-issued Glock 17 9mm pistol with two magazines loaded with 32 rounds of ammunition.

Investigation showed that the firearm was the issued service weapon of the student’s older brother, an active member of the Philippine Army assigned to the 6th Infantry Battalion, 6th Infantry Division. Authorities said the minor took the pistol without his brother’s knowledge or consent and later told investigators he brought it for self-defense.

The student was referred to the Women and Children Protection Desk before being turned over to the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office. Police are preparing charges for violation of Republic Act 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.

The incident, the PNP said, is in line with the government’s intensified efforts to strengthen community-based policing and ensure safe learning environments through close coordination among the police, schools, local governments and the public.

“The swift response of our personnel prevented a potentially dangerous situation from unfolding inside the school. This incident reminds us that school safety requires constant vigilance from both law enforcement and the community,” Nartatez said.

“The timely report from a concerned citizen made all the difference. It shows that public vigilance and immediate reporting can help prevent incidents before lives are put at risk,” he added.