Ex-student, 13, in DSWS custody after online threat

CEBU, Philippines — School officials of Inayawan National High School (INHS) have decided not to pursue criminal or civil charges against a 13-year-old former student who admitted posting an online shooting threat targeting the school.

Instead, the minor was turned over to the city’s Department of Social Welfare Services (DSWS) for assessment, intervention, and rehabilitation in accordance with existing child protection laws and protocols.

The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) said the investigation began after a threatening social media post directed at teachers and school officials of INHS circulated online.

Through cyber investigation, intelligence gathering, and coordination with concerned stakeholders, authorities identified the owner of the account behind the post and invited the boy to the Inayawan Police Station on Sunday evening, July 5, for a formal interview.

During the interview, the minor voluntarily admitted making the post and personally accessed the social media account used in the incident through his cellular phone, confirming his involvement.

Barangay Inayawan Gender and Development (GAD) Focal Officer Abraham Diaz identified the child as a resident of Talisay City and a former INHS student who attended the school in 2024.

Diaz said the threats were allegedly posted through a dummy Facebook account under the name “Andrea Kate,” which carried threats against several teachers and the school principal on Saturday evening.

The minor also admitted harboring resentment toward some of his former teachers and the school principal. However, Diaz clarified that the child neither possessed a firearm nor had the capability to carry out the threats.

The CCPO said the interview was conducted in the presence of the minor’s mother, the GAD focal person, and the assistant investigator of the Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD) to ensure that the legal safeguards for a child in conflict with the law were observed.

Following the investigation, school officials and teachers manifested that they would no longer pursue criminal or civil charges against the boy. He was subsequently endorsed to the DSWS.

Diaz added that the child was initially placed under the temporary custody of the Barangay Inayawan GAD Office pending his referral to the intervention program for children in conflict with the law.

To recall, Councilor David Tumulak said a teacher forwarded to authorities a screenshot of the social media post threatening to shoot teachers and school officials inside the campus.

The message specifically mentioned teachers handling Grades 7 and 8, as well as the school principal, prompting the school’s faculty to report the incident to the Inayawan Police Station, where it was entered into the police blotter and investigated.

Before the suspect was identified, CCPO Director Police Colonel Ricky Sumalde convened a coordination meeting with Inayawan officials, the school principal, police commanders, and other concerned officials to assess the credibility of the reported threat and strengthen coordination among law enforcement, barangay officials, and school authorities.

The agencies also agreed to intensify police visibility around the campus, enhance information sharing, and sustain close inter-agency coordination in addressing potential security threats.

The CCPO said it will continue coordinating with school officials and local government authorities while maintaining heightened security measures to ensure the safety of students, teachers, and other school personnel.

Meanwhile, in Talisay City, the city government opted to prioritize student safety by suspending classes in two public schools on Monday following an anonymous online post that allegedly threatened to bring a firearm to school.

Mayor Gerald Anthony Gullas Jr. announced Sunday that face-to-face classes at Talisay City Elementary School and Talisay City National High School would not push through to allow law enforcement authorities to secure the area and conduct an investigation.

The suspension came after a now-deleted Facebook post from an account using the name "Zane Bacalso" allegedly threatened to bring a gun to school and even carried what Gullas described as "condolence" messages directed at students.

Gullas said the city government immediately coordinated with the Talisay City Division of the Department of Education and the police following the circulation of the post.

According to the mayor, authorities decided to treat the threat seriously despite the post having already been deleted.

"These kinds of posts are never a joke and must always be treated as credible until proven otherwise," Gullas said in a statement posted on Facebook.

He said the initial suspension was necessary to give police, including members of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit, enough room to investigate and secure the school premises.

The mayor later announced that the suspension would also include all schools within the same compound, including Central Elementary School, to allow authorities to conduct security operations without students and school personnel on site.

"We will suspend all schools in the compound... Mas maka-lihok atong police if walay taw," Gullas said in a succeeding post.

Gullas likewise warned that individuals behind anonymous online accounts should not assume they could avoid identification.

"To anyone who thinks hiding behind a fake Facebook account makes you untouchable, ayaw mo'g salig nga lisod ka ma-trace," he said.

He stressed that threats directed at schools, teachers, and students are criminal offenses that will not be taken lightly by the city government.

"The safety of our children will always come first, and those responsible will be held fully accountable under the law," Gullas added.

As part of the ongoing investigation, the mayor appealed to the public to help authorities gather information that could lead to the identification of the person behind the account.

In another Facebook post, Gullas asked those who had screenshots of the deleted post, including its comments and reactions, to submit them to authorities.

He also said police had preserved screenshots of the account's list of friends as investigators continue tracing possible leads.

The mayor further encouraged anyone who personally knows the individual behind the post to cooperate with authorities by informing their parents, teachers, or the police.

"If kaila mo sa nag-post, please talk to your teacher or parents para the police can ask questions and investigate," the mayor said.

Furthermore, he shared that investigators may reach out to individuals connected to the account as part of efforts to determine whether the threat was genuine and identify the person responsible. — (FREEMAN)