President Marcos has extended his condolences to the families of the victims and the Ateneo de Zamboanga University community following the fatal shooting at the school’s Junior High School campus in Zamboanga City early this week.

Cabinet Secretary Benhur Abalos personally conveyed the President’s sympathies during his visit to the university on Thursday, Aug. 20, where he also met with school administrators and assessed the situation.

“Nakausap ko kanina si Pangulo. Bilin niya sa akin (I talked to the President earlier. He asked me) to really extend his sympathies. Masyadong masakit ang nangyari rito (This incident is too painful),” Abalos said.

“I came here to sympathize with the community. Masyadong masakit ang nangyari, lalo na para sa mga magulang (This is too painful, especially for the parents),” he added.

The shooting left two junior high school students dead, including the alleged gunman, according to reports, while authorities continued investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The Ateneo de Zamboanga University confirmed the two fatalities and said it immediately secured students remaining on campus and contacted their parents and guardians after the shooting.

Authorities have also reported that another student was injured in the incident and was later in stable condition, while police continued their investigation and classes remained suspended.

Abalos urged the public to refrain from speculation and wait for investigators to establish the motive and circumstances of the shooting, saying unverified information could further distress the school community.

“Tigilan na muna ang haka-haka at fake news (Let’s stop the speculation and the fake news),” he said.

“Hindi ito nakakatulong sa komunidad, lalo na sa mga bata at mga guro. Antayin na lamang natin ang resulta ng imbestigasyon (It’s not helping the community, especially the children and the teachers. Let’s just wait for the result of the investigation),” he said.

The Cabinet secretary said justice must be served and that the investigation should identify reforms needed to prevent a similar tragedy, while the government reviews relevant school safety measures.

“Talagang hustisya ang importante rito, at importante ring huwag na itong maulit (What’s important here is justice and that this doesn’t happen again),” Abalos said.

“Ang tama at masusing imbestigasyon ang magdadala sa atin sa mga repormang kinakailangan (A proper and thorough investigation will lead us to the reforms that are necessary),” he added.

The government has also urged the public and media to exercise restraint in sharing photographs, videos, and other sensitive material involving the shooting, particularly because minors were involved.

Abalos also called for a review of safeguards protecting children from harmful online content, saying the government should examine existing policies and security measures while investigators establish the facts of the case.