The Department of Education-8 (Eastern Visayas) condemned the shooting incident at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City on Monday morning, June 22, where three students were killed and five others were injured.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this unfortunate incident, particularly the learners, personnel, and families who may have experienced fear, trauma, or distress as a result of the situation,” DepEd-8 Director Alustiano Jimenez said in a statement.
Jimenez said they have coordinated with the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Schools Division Office of Tacloban City, and school authorities to ensure the safety and security of learners, teaching and non-teaching personnel, and all individuals within the school premises.
DepEd-8 has also coordinated with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and other concerned agencies to facilitate the provision of appropriate assistance and psychosocial support services to affected learners and personnel.
“At present, the matter is under investigation by the appropriate authorities. We defer to the Philippine National Police regarding the details of the incident and the ongoing investigation. We urge the public to refrain from spreading unverified information and to rely only on official statements from authorized agencies,” Jimenez said.
“The safety, security, and well-being of our learners and personnel remain our highest priority. DepEd Regional Office 8 is committed to providing the necessary support to the affected school community and to working closely with partner agencies to ensure that schools remain safe, secure, and conducive spaces for learning.”
“We call on everyone to join us in praying for the safety, healing, and recovery of all those affected by this incident,” Jimenez added.