A STUDENT. 2 GUNS. 2 DEAD IN ZAMBO

Two students, including the alleged gunman, died in a shooting at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University Junior High School campus on Tuesday morning, less than two months after a school shooting in Tacloban City left three students dead.

Police received the first report of gunfire on the private school campus at 7:50 a.m., prompting the immediate deployment of police officers and crime scene investigators.

Police Regional Office 9 spokesperson Maj. Shellamie Chang said the situation was brought under control and students were evacuated to designated areas.

“The students are safe. They were evacuated to a designated evacuation area. The authorities are processing the scene now,” Chang said.

Police located the suspected shooter, who was dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, on the fifth floor of one of the school buildings. A firearm was recovered nearby.

Police identified the suspected shooter as Mohammad Mael Jalani and the other fatality as Patrick Dylan Wee. Initial police reports identified Jalani as a Grade 9 A student.

Authorities said the shooting took place inside two classrooms. A preliminary police account said the suspect had brought a pistol and a rifle onto the campus. Investigators have yet to establish the motive and the full sequence of events.

The Regional Forensic Unit 9 Scene of the Crime Operations team, in coordination with the Zamboanga City Police Office, was processing the scene.

Investigators were looking into the suspect’s background, the possible motive, how the firearms entered the campus, the ownership and legality of the weapons, and possible lapses in school security.

“The Zamboanga City Police Office will look into how the firearms were brought onto the campus,” Chang said.

Investigators were also verifying reports the suspected shooter livestreamed part of the attack on social media. A video circulating online purportedly showed a person entering a classroom and firing a handgun after an initial malfunction. The authorities have yet to authenticate the video.

The Zamboanga City government urged the public to refrain from sharing unverified information while the investigation continues.

“We assure the public that the situation is under control and appropriate security measures are in place. The safety of our students, teachers, and school communities remains our highest priority,” the city government said.

The incident came less than two months after a 22 June shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City that killed three students and injured 20, including those hurt during the ensuing panic.

The Tacloban shooting prompted renewed discussions about school security, access to firearms, bullying and students’ exposure to violent online content.

Gunman’s father relieved

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Customs (BoC) relieved the father of the alleged gunman from his post as district commander of the Port of Zamboanga Enforcement and Security Services following the shooting.

BoC commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said the official was relieved to allow for an impartial investigation into possible negligence in the handling of the firearms.

Nepomuceno stressed that the official had no direct involvement in the shooting. The investigation will determine how the firearms came into the possession of the alleged gunman.

Marcos orders probe

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered an investigation into the shooting.

“I have directed our law enforcement agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into this incident and to determine what more must be done to prevent another family, another school and another community from suffering the same grief,” he said in a statement.

The President said he was one with the families and the Ateneo de Zamboanga community “over a tragedy that should never have happened.”

“Our schools are where we entrust our children to learn, to grow, and to dream about the lives ahead of them. They must also be among the safest places in our country. We will work with our schools and communities to strengthen the safeguards that protect our students and ensure that they can pursue their education without fear. Every Filipino family deserves that assurance,” he said.

DepEd cites ‘grave concern’

The Department of Education on Tuesday expressed “grave concern” over the shooting.

“DepEd stands with the Ateneo de Zamboanga community during this difficult time and is ready to extend whatever support and assistance we can to the affected learners, families, school personnel and concerned authorities,” the department said.

The Ateneo de Zamboanga University, in a statement, said it was coordinating with the authorities and would release more information through its official communication channels once these are verified.