Philippine President Orders Investigation Into Fatal School Shooting

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered an investigation into a fatal school shooting at Ateneo de Zamboanga University, where a student livestreamed the attack before taking his own life. The incident, which left two students dead and two wounded, has intensified debate over preventing school violence and led to renewed calls for tighter firearm regulations and social media restrictions.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara highlighted the difficulty in identifying warning signs, noting the shooter had a high academic standing and was not considered a problematic student. He emphasized that preventing school violence requires community outreach beyond security measures like fences and cameras.

Authorities are investigating the motive and how the student accessed his father's firearms, including a .40-caliber pistol. Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla urged lawmakers to stiffen penalties for gun owners whose weapons are accessed by minors and to revisit laws on loose firearms. Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian advocated for legislation to prohibit children under 16 from using social media, citing the risk of normalizing violence through the rapid spread of graphic content.