The Philippine National Police (PNP) said it had recorded at least 50 incidents in schools involving children in conflict with the law (CICL) from June 16 to Aug. 19, with the latest being Tuesday’s shooting that killed two high school students at Ateneo de Zamboanga University.
Data released by the PNP Public Information Office (PIO) showed that there were 26 alleged bomb threats, 12 alleged shooting threats, four stabbing incidents, four arrests for illegal possession of firearms, two death threats and two shooting incidents.
The PNP started the list on June 16, just over a week since the start of the new school year. It was the day when a Grade 8 student reportedly entered a Grade 5 classroom at a private school in General Trias City, Cavite, and stabbed at least seven children.
The Cavite incident heightened public concern both over campus security and the factors that may have led to such youth behavior.
The sense of alarm further rose six days later, on June 22, when two students managed to sneak firearms into the San Jose National High School in Tacloban City and opened fire, killing three other students and wounding 20 more.
Following the Ateneo de Zamboanga shooting, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Wednesday said his agency would review current policies on campus security to include private schools.