By Benjamin Cuaresma
PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur — Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla has rejected claims of a security breakdown at Ateneo de Zamboanga University (AdZU), saying the Grade 8 student who carried out Tuesday’s deadly shooting exploited an emergency exit rather than passing through the school’s regular security checkpoint.
Remulla clarified that he inspected the AdZU campus in Barangay Tumaga, Zamboanga City, where a Grade 10 student was killed, and another was wounded before the Grade 8 shooter took his own life.
Investigators determined that the suspect entered the Junior High School campus through an emergency exit that had been unlocked as part of the school’s normal security protocol. He entered at about 7:50 a.m., bypassing the main gate where bags were being checked.
“There was no lapse on the part of Ateneo. They followed the law and checked the bags. The shooter simply found an opportunity,” Remulla said.
The Interior chief also disputed claims that bullying or a personal conflict had triggered the attack, saying investigators found no connection between the shooter and the slain student.
Remulla described the suspect as an exceptional student who earned consistently high grades and said there was no indication that he had been bullied.
Police also established that the firearm used in the shooting belonged to the suspect’s father, a Bureau of Customs employee. The family is cooperating with investigators but has asked for privacy as authorities continue to determine what led to the attack.
Remulla likewise ruled out a conspiracy, saying the shooter acted alone and planned the attack himself.
Investigators are now examining the suspect’s digital footprint and other possible influences as they work to establish his motive. Remulla said authorities were looking into his exposure to first-person shooter games, particularly Roblox.
The secretary renewed his call for stricter firearm accountability and safekeeping rules, while reiterating his proposal to ban Roblox in the country.
A final police report is expected on Aug. 24, Remulla said, as authorities seek to establish the full circumstances surrounding the shooting and address concerns over student safety.
Cabinet Secretary Benhur Abalos, who also visited the university, urged the public to stop spreading speculation and unverified claims while the investigation remains ongoing.
He said authorities must be allowed to complete the probe before conclusions are drawn about the attack’s motive.
“Stop the speculation, stop the fake news. Let us wait for the investigation. Fake news does not help; it harms the community,” Abalos said.
ia/xf
