MANILA — The deadly shooting at Banga National High School in South Cotabato has renewed calls from lawmakers for faster action on gun control, school security and child-protection measures as authorities investigate how a minor was able to bring a firearm into a school.
The shooting happened Friday, September 18, at Banga National High School in Banga, South Cotabato. Reuters reported that a 16-year-old student killed two fellow students, injured eight others and later died by suicide. The victims were reportedly between 14 and 17 years old, with four of those injured described as being in critical condition.
Earlier reports released while authorities were still determining the full toll gave different casualty figures, underscoring the rapidly developing nature of the incident. The Department of Education initially urged the public to avoid spreading unverified information while the investigation was ongoing.
The tragedy has now triggered renewed demands in Congress for legislation addressing minors’ access to firearms and strengthening security in schools.
Lawmakers push Child Safety Against Gun Violence Act
Akbayan representatives Perci Cendaña and Chel Diokno called for the immediate advancement of House Bill No. 10058, or the Child Safety Against Gun Violence Act.
The measure was filed on July 14 and is currently pending before the House Committee on Public Order and Safety. According to the official House legislative record, the bill seeks comprehensive measures covering child safety against gun violence, school security, firearm access and accountability mechanisms.
Cendaña and Diokno said the latest shooting demonstrates the need for stronger measures to prevent minors from accessing firearms and to improve protections inside schools. Their call was echoed by reports from Radyo Pilipinas and DWIZ following the Banga incident.
The proposal is not the only firearm-related measure pending in the House. House Bill No. 10002, for example, seeks to impose penalties on people who fail to properly secure firearms from minors. That bill is also pending before the Public Order and Safety Committee.
School safety measures already being considered
The South Cotabato shooting comes amid a broader legislative push following other school shootings reported this year.
The House legislative records show several proposals dealing with school safety, including HB 10059, which would establish a national safe-schools security and emergency-preparedness program, and HB 10046, which seeks comprehensive safety protocols, security infrastructure and crisis-intervention mechanisms in public basic education schools. Both measures remain pending in committee.
The Senate has also been working on Senate Bill No. 2426, or the Comprehensive School Safety Act, which seeks a national framework covering prevention, emergency response and recovery from school-safety threats. The proposal includes measures involving school security, counseling, mental-health support, child protection and localized school-safety plans.
South Cotabato shooting follows other school attacks
The Banga incident is the latest in a series of school shootings reported in the Philippines in recent months.
In June, a shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City left at least three students dead and around 20 others injured, according to Philstar. In August, another shooting occurred at the junior high school building of Ateneo de Zamboanga University, where a student was killed.
Reuters described the Banga attack as the third deadly school shooting in the Philippines since June, a notable development in a country where such incidents had previously been relatively uncommon.
The Philippine National Police has already said it would review firearms regulations following the Tacloban shooting after investigators found a possible issue involving the serial number of one firearm used in that attack.
Questions over firearm access
One of the central issues emerging from the Banga investigation is how the minor obtained the firearm.
According to the mayor of Banga, the weapon reportedly belonged to the suspect’s father, who works for the Department of Education, and was allegedly taken from a secured firearm vault. Reuters likewise reported that the gun was owned by the suspect’s father and that authorities were examining how the minor gained access to it.
The circumstances could intensify discussion over firearm-storage requirements and accountability when minors are present in a household.
The House has already received legislation specifically addressing the failure to secure firearms from minors, although HB 10002 has yet to advance beyond committee consideration.
DepEd suspends classes and prepares psychosocial support
The Department of Education said the immediate priority is the safety and well-being of students, teachers and school personnel.
DepEd said it is coordinating with its regional and division offices, local authorities and law enforcement agencies. It also said psychological first aid and psychosocial support would be made available to people affected by the shooting. In-person classes in the municipality were suspended until September 21.
Authorities have also appealed to the public not to circulate graphic images or unverified claims about the incident. DepEd Region XII specifically asked the public to stop distributing videos from the shooting out of respect for victims and their families.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology likewise urged people not to share graphic material and unverified information while authorities investigate.
The bigger question now: will reforms move faster?
The latest tragedy has placed several already-filed proposals back in the spotlight.
Beyond firearm regulation, lawmakers are calling for stronger school-security systems, mental-health support, child-protection mechanisms and measures designed to prevent young people from gaining access to weapons.
At the same time, the official House records show that several of these proposals remain at the committee stage.
For families in South Cotabato, however, the debate is no longer simply about legislation. It is about how quickly existing safety measures can be implemented and whether gaps in firearm storage, school security and support services can be addressed before another student becomes a victim.
The investigation into the Banga shooting remains ongoing, and authorities have urged the public to rely on verified information as they establish the full circumstances surrounding the attack.
