MANILA, Philippines – The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) on Thursday debunked Facebook posts claiming a shooting incident had occurred at a public school in Barangay Bagong Silangan.
Upon verification, the posts were found to be false, said Brig. Gen. Randy Glenn Silvio, QCPD director.
Initial investigations revealed that personnel from the Payatas–Bagong Silangan Police Station (PS-13), led by Lt. Col. Rowena Amata, were attending a meeting with school administrators at about 9 a.m. when they heard a loud commotion coming from the second floor of the school building.
Immediately after, parents were seen picking up their children at school which caused panic in the area causing the announcement of suspension of afternoon classes.
Responding officers proceeded to the area to assess the situation.
Further evaluation showed that students had heard a loud banging noise from a nearby construction site, which they mistakenly took for gunfire.
Police confirmed that the sound originated from ongoing construction work in the vicinity, and that no shooting incident had taken place.
The area has since been declared safe and secure, and normal school operations have resumed. No injuries or untoward incidents were reported.
The QCPD reminded the public to refrain from sharing unverified information on social media, as it may cause undue alarm and panic.
"We encourage everyone to verify information through official government and law enforcement channels before sharing," the QCPD chief said.