DepEd employee owned gun used by suspect in Cotabato school shooting

KORONADAL CITY – The suspect in the school campus shooting in Banga, South Cotabato, is the son of a Department of Education (DepEd) employee, who is the owner of the pistol used in the crime on Friday afternoon, the town mayor said Saturday.

Banga Municipal Mayor Albert Palencia withheld the identity of the DepEd employee and his son while the investigation is in progress.

However, Palencia said the mother told him that her 14-year-old son destroyed the vault where the Glock 9mm pistol was kept.

The tragic incident that shocked the whole community transpired in one of the classrooms of Grade 9 students of Banga National High School in Barangay Benitez at about 1:15 p.m. on Friday.

Three students were killed, including the shooter, while six others were injured. The victims were all students.

South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo, quoting one of the suspect’s friends, said the shooter is a member of an online gaming group called “True Crime Community.”

Tamayo said police are looking into reports linking an online community to the student. He emphasized that no conclusions should be made while the investigation is ongoing.

“No parent should lose a child due to violence, especially if it happened inside the school campus. The school is a place where our children should be safe,” Tamayo said.

“As parents and members of the community, we should work together to protect our children,” he said, adding that parents should talk to their children about school activities, their involvement in social media, and support them in all campus activities.

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) – Soccsksargen Director Loreto Cabaya Jr. said each wounded student in the Banga school shooting will receive PHP10,000 in cash assistance from the government.

“The families of three fatalities will also receive financial aid from the DSWD,” Cabaya said.

-Philippine News Agency