MANILA — Face-to-face classes at a private school in Valenzuela City were suspended on Tuesday after a shooting threat was reported on campus.
In a statement, Our Lady of Fatima University Valenzuela said it received a threat at the SBH/Tamaraw Building.
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The school administration immediately implemented security measures and safely evacuated students and employees in the affected area.
Classes scheduled at the SBH Building shifted online, with students instructed to attend from home.
According to PNP Public Information Office chief PCol. Allen Rae Co, a faculty member received a note from an individual warning that a certain person was allegedly carrying a gun inside the school.
“Hindi pa malinaw kung estudyante rin ang nag-abot ng parang note sa isang faculty member wherein sinasabi niya a certain person ay meron daw dalang baril at balak daw mamaril at saktan ang mga nasa school,” Co said.
“Sabi nga nung nagsulat ng note ay baka madamay sila so on and so forth. So lahat tinitingnan natin,” he added.
Police are looking into who handed over the note and whether it was intended as a warning or a threat.
They are also checking the identity of the person who was allegedly identified as carrying a firearm and whether there was an actual plan to carry out the attack.
“Ang sasagutin natin dito sino ang nag-abot, was this sort of a warning or in the form of a threat. Titingnan rin natin kung sinong inidentify nila na according to them ay may dalang baril at kung meron talagang plano siya na gawin ito,” he said.
Co added the Valenzuela police chief was meeting with school officials, faculty members and other concerned individuals as authorities continued their investigation.
A security sweep was also conducted around the school compound.
Authorities have not found any other danger.
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Co said authorities have to treat all threats seriously, regardless of whether these are eventually found to be credible.
“Wala tayong magagawa kundi i-consider as serious threat. It only takes one mistake na hindi natin pinansin na magkaroon ng hindi magandang pangyayari,” he said.
“Lahat po ng threats na ginagawa ay kailangan natin aksyunan as if it’s a real, credible threat,” he added.
He appealed to the public to stop making pranks or false threats, saying these incidents consume police resources and disrupt the daily activities of students, employees and law enforcement personnel.
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