Cheyenne Suarez

Lawmakers call for probe into Zamboanga City school shooting, tighter security in schools

Article (news)

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1787042283166gun.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Lawmakers call for probe into Zamboanga City school shooting, tighter security in schools"/></div><p>MANILA — Some House members called for a probe into a <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/8/18/shooting-incident-reported-inside-zamboanga-city-school-0934">shooting at the Ateneo de Zamboanga campus</a> on Tuesday that left two students dead, including the alleged shooter.</p><p>House Assistant Majority Leader Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong called for tighter security in schools and stricter regulation on gaming platforms as they expressed alarm over the recent incidents of school shooting.</p><p>“Kinakailangan magkaroon ng regulation pagdating po doon sa mga applications sa mga gaming platforms. So nakakabahala talaga na humantong na tayo na meron talagang violence sa ating mga eskwelahan. So sana ay maimbestigahan ito at mabigyan ng kaukulang solusyon as part of the investigation ay justice din doon sa mga nabiktima,” he said.</p><p>“At the same time, isa rin itong wake-up call. Mukhang dahil budget season ngayon, baka kailangan din talaga natin bigyan, i-capacitate ang ating DepEd para ma-secure ang ating mga eskwelahan, physically secure, hindi lang po doon sa mga facilities, but even to a point na we need probably to beef up security in our public schools dahil nakakabahala na talaga ito. </p><p>&quot;Baka kailangan nila ‘yung metal detector na mga x-ray sa mga bawat portal o ‘yung mga gate na papasok ‘yung mga studyante. Kasi mukhang nakapasok itong baril na ito eh. Paano nakapasok sa isa school, diba? So, ibig sabihin, medyo loose ‘yung security nila doon sa particular school na ‘yun,” Adiong added.</p><p>Manila 3rd District Representative Joel Chua, for his part, said security concerns in schools should be coordinated with security agencies. He added that violent behavior should not be normalized, especially among leaders.</p><p>“Malaking impluwensya po ‘yan sa mga nakikita nila sa social media, mga nakikita nila sa mga leader ng ating bansa. Dahil sa ngayon, nakikita natin, pagka ikaw ay palamura, ikaw ay bayolente, ay medyo hinahangaan ka na eh. So iba na ‘yung nagiging batayan ngayon. Dapat ang batayan ngayon, siga-siga ka, palamura ka. So dapat ‘yan medyo baguhin na rin natin. Dahil dito akala ng mga bata, nakikita nila sa mga matatanda, sa kanilang mga leader, eh akala nila yan ang tama,” Chua said.</p><p>“Pagdating naman sa mga security, nandyan ang kapulisan, nandyan ang ibang mga departamento. So ang dapat na ginagawa ng DepEd ay makipagpugnayan sa mga tama ahensya at hayaan natin na ‘yung mga ahensya na may kinalaman sa peace and order, ang LGU, ang Kapulisan, ang defense, hayaan natin na sila ang mag-manage ng security ng mga eskwelahan,” he added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/18/ateneo-mourns-after-school-shooting-leaves-2-students-dead-no-one-would-want-this-to-happen-1620">Ateneo mourns after school shooting leaves 2 students dead: ‘No one would want this to happen’</a></div><p>House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio called for a House probe into the incident.</p><p>&quot;Tuklasin kung saan nanggaling ang baril, paano ito nakarating sa kamay ng bata, at sino ang responsable sa pagbabantay nito. Panagutin ang mga nagpabaya sa pag-secure ng armas ang bawat buhay na nakitil,&quot; he said.</p><p>House Deputy Speaker David Suarez condemned the “senseless act of violence” and called for the passage of the proposed Digital Safety of Minors Act.</p><p>“Through this measure, we are not banning technology or restricting young people’s right to learn and express themselves. We are simply ensuring that digital platforms are designed with the needs and safety of children as the priority. Social media offers tremendous opportunities for our youth, yet it also carries serious risks to their mental health and physical safety. Events such as the live-streaming of violence remind us that we must protect our children from harmful content and from platforms that can be used to amplify tragedy,” he said.</p><p>Akbayan Party List Reps. Chel Diokno and Percival Cendana called for the passage of the proposed Child Safety Against Gun Violence Act and greater funding for mental health programs.</p><p>“Habang iniimbestigahan ito, kailangan din nating kumilos. Nananawagan tayo sa Kongreso at administrasyon na isabatas na ang Child Safety Against Gun Violence Act (HB 10058) upang mas maprotektahan ang ating mga kabataan laban sa ganitong trahedya,” Diokno said.</p><p>“I urge the national government and local authorities to immediately extend the necessary medical services and psychosocial support to the victims, survivors, and their families… As Congress deliberates the proposed 2027 National Budget, we must also ensure greater funding for mental health programs and psychosocial support for children and young people in tandem with strengthening prevention and early intervention programs that can address violence before it happens,” Cendana added.</p><p>“Ano nang nangyayari?! Paano na naman naipasok ang baril sa paaralan? It’s very alarming that less than two months after the Tacloban school shooting, another act of violence like this has occurred. The bad side of social media and video games exerting pernicious influence on young people are now in full view. Forms of violence never seen before in our country. Urgent and effective safeguards are needed to prevent similar tragic incidents,” ML Party List Representative Leila de Lima noted.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/18/marcos-jr-orders-thorough-probe-into-zamboanga-city-school-shooting-1258">Marcos Jr. orders thorough probe into Zamboanga City school shooting</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D_PSvjv-ppM?si=JRmVfVUEj3ZNMmhR" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Some House members called for a probe into a <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/8/18/shooting-incident-reported-inside-zamboanga-city-school-0934">shooting at the Ateneo de Zamboanga campus</a> on Tuesday that left two students dead, including the alleged shooter.</p>

Some House members called for a probe into a shooting at the Ateneo de Zamboanga campus on Tuesday that left two students dead, including the alleged shooter.