School ‘shooting’ threat disrupts classes

CEBU, Philippines — Barely a week after a fatal school shooting in Tacloban, a private school in Cebu City faced its own scare after a report, initially received as a bomb threat, disrupted its classes.

It was around 10 a.m. yesterday when the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CCDRRMO) received initial information about a bomb threat at Cebu Eastern College (CEC).

The incident triggered alarm among students and parents, heightening fears over campus security nationwide.

However, further assessment by the CCDRRMO showed that the reported incident was not a bomb threat but a shooting threat posted online. Investigators determined that the incident stemmed from a Facebook post warning of a shooting targeting freshmen.

Carbon Police Station 5, under the supervision of Officer-in-Charge Police Captain Venstine P. Bontilao, responded to the report to ensure the safety and security of students, faculty members, school personnel, and visitors.

The police station coordinated with the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Team, the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit, the Traffic Management Response Unit (TMRU), the CCDRRMO, the Barangay Pahina Central Barangay Public Safety Officers (BPSO), and school authorities to conduct a comprehensive security inspection of the campus.

As part of the security measures, authorities inspected the entire campus, conducted security checks on students entering the school, temporarily restricted students from leaving the campus until the inspection was completed, and immediately coordinated with the school administration and the School Board.

CCDRRMO head Councilor Dave Tumulak said the police, disaster response teams, and K9 units were also deployed after a school security guard reported the incident.

“Pagkadawat nato sa alarma nanawag ang guard sa Eastern College, nag deploy tag PNP ug disaster team, K9. As of this time resume na classes but naa pa PNP. Nag investigate ang PNP with cybercrime,” Tumulak reported.

A printed copy of the Facebook post was shown by Tumulak to the media. It was attributed to a user named “Sanzu.”

The post read: “Bantay bantay kay mamusil ko ugma sa mga freshmen.” A follow-up message added: “Thanks me later kung ma suspended inyong klase sa mga ga skwela diri.”

Following the security assessment, authorities found no explosives or suspicious items inside the campus.

The School Board subsequently decided to continue classes. As of the latest update, students had returned to the campus while police remained deployed outside the school as the investigation continued.

The CCDRRMO said the investigation is ongoing to determine the source and credibility of the shooting threat posted on social media.

Shooting threat

The PNP Cybercrime Group then launched an investigation to identify the individual responsible for posting the online shooting threat.

According to the police, the threat originated from a post circulating on social media.

In line with this, the police reminded the public that making threats, whether online or offline, is a serious offense and will be investigated in accordance with the law.

The police also urged the public to remain vigilant, refrain from spreading unverified information, and immediately report any suspicious activities to the nearest police station.

CEC assures safety

On the same day, CEC management released a statement assuring students, employees, and all stakeholders that everyone within the institution was safe and secure, adding that their safety is its highest priority.

“The matter remains under investigation, and the institution continues to strengthen its security protocols to ensure the safety and well-being of the entire campus community,” the statement reads.

“The Administration will continue to provide updates as appropriate and encourages everyone to rely only on official announcements from Cebu,” the statement further reads, as the administration also thanked the authorities for their swift response.

Mayor: Rely on reports from authorities only

Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival, for his part, appealed to the public in a Facebook post to remain calm and rely only on official advisories as authorities continue their investigation.

“Mga Sugboanon, ang kaluwasan sa atong mga estudyante, teachers, ug school personnel mao ang atong labing unang prayoridad. Our law enforcement agencies, together with the concerned school officials, immediately activated security measures, and an investigation is now ongoing,” he said.

The CEC threat reignited fears among Cebuano students, recalling the June 22 Tacloban tragedy in which two minors opened fire inside classrooms, killing three people and wounding many others.

According to Tumulak, the PNP Cybercrime Division has traced the origin of the Facebook post to a student, and investigations are ongoing to determine its credibility.

Police presence remains at CEC as classes resume, with authorities assuring parents and students that security measures are firmly in place.

“Atong hangyoon ang tanan nga magpabiling kalmado, likayan ang pagpakaylap og unverified information, ug mosalig lamang sa official advisories gikan sa atong mga awtoridad. Padayon kitang magtinabangay aron mapreserbar ang kaluwasan sa atong komunidad,” said Archival. – Caecent No-ot Magsumbol with Preciosa Bacalso (CEBU NEWS)