South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo S. Tamayo Jr. said the student suspected in the shooting at Banga National High School was allegedly a member of a “true crime community” online, as authorities continue to investigate the circumstances and possible motive behind the incident.
Tamayo said investigators initially obtained the information after speaking with the suspect’s best friend. He stressed, however, that authorities are still determining what the online community is and what activities or content may be associated with it.
“Ang inisyal lamang na aming nakita ay nakausap namin yung best friend ng bata. Itong bata pala ay miyembro ng ‘true crime community.’ So ito ay iniimbestigahan pa rin ating kapulisan kung ano ba ito at ano ba nakapaloob ng internet community na ito or yung... organization ng true crime community,” Tamayo said.
The governor expressed concern that the shooting occurred inside a school despite security measures funded by the provincial government.
“Medyo mabigat lang sa pakiramdam ngayon, dahil bilang gobernador, bilang ama ng lalawigan, masakit sa akin na nangyari pa ito sa isang eskwelahan na fully guarded naman dahil sa probinsya, naglagay naman tayo ng mga security funded by the provincial government,” he said.
Tamayo also appealed to parents to prevent children from having easy access to firearms at home and urged them to exercise greater responsibility in securing weapons.
“Kaya't ako'y nananawagan sa mga magulang, sana huwag niyong hayaan na open sa mata at access ng bata yung mga barel meron kayo. Dapat maging responsable kayo dahil may mga pananagutan yung mga magulang dito dahil yung mga baril, easy access para sa mga kabataan,” the governor said.
He described the incident as a serious concern for the community, particularly because it involved students inside a school.
The shooting at Banga National High School on September 18 left three students dead and seven others injured, according to the Banga Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office. As of 8 p.m., three of the injured students had been discharged, while four remain under medical care or were referred to other hospitals.
Authorities continue to investigate the incident, including the circumstances surrounding the suspect’s access to the firearm, his alleged involvement in an online true crime community, and the possible motive behind the shooting.
