The Philippine National Police (PNP) maintained that the situation at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University Junior High School in Zamboanga City, where a shooting had transpired on Tuesday morning, was now ‘under control.’
‘Police personnel immediately coordinated with school authorities and other concerned agencies to ensure the safety and orderly movement of students, faculty, and school personnel,’ the PNP said in a statement.
‘The situation is now under control,’ it stressed.
Earlier, the PNP confirmed that a Grade 10 victim and a Grade 9 child in conflict with the law (CICL) died in the incident.
The national police force also appealed to the students’ parents and guardians to remain calm, while the school advised them to wait for the designated pick-up time to fetch their children.
‘Authorities are currently establishing the circumstances surrounding the incident. The PNP will provide verified information as appropriate and [it] appeals to the public to refrain from sharing unconfirmed reports, photos or videos that may cause unnecessary concern,’ the police said.
‘The PNP assures the public that the safety and well-being of the school community remain a priority,’ it added.
A document later shared by the PNP Public Information Office (PIO) showed that operatives recovered a standard pistol and another pistol ‘fitted with a Roni Conversion kit to make it appear as a rifle’ from the CICL.
The police also noted that scene of the crime operation personnel were investigating the site of the incident.
The PNP PIO also said investigators were looking into the CICL’s background, how he had supposedly snuck the firearms into the school premises, who owned the firearms, whether the guns were registered, and whether there were any lapses on the part of the school administration.