CEBU CITY — A reported planned school shooting posted online prompted a rapid security lockdown at Cebu Eastern College (CEC) in Barangay Pahina Central, on Thursday, July 2, as authorities rushed multiple units to secure the campus and assess the threat.
The alarm stemmed from a social media post that was initially flagged as a bomb threat but was later verified by authorities as a shooting threat directed at the school, the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CCDRRMO) said.
Security forces from the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), Carbon Police Station 5, Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Team, Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), Tactical Motorcycle Riding Unit (TRU) immediately entered the campus to enforce containment measures and ensure safety alongside barangay officials and school administrators.
A full sweep of the school followed, with authorities conducting inspection and threat assessment procedures.
No suspicious items were found and officials later cleared the campus, allowing classes to resume.
CEC management assured students, parents, and staff that no one inside the campus was harmed during the incident, and thanked responding agencies for their swift coordination.
“The Administration of Cebu Eastern College, in close coordination with local law enforcement and emergency response agencies, is actively addressing the security threat reported earlier today,” the school said.
“Everyone within the institution is safe and secure. The safety and security of our community remain our highest priority.”
Police Lt. Col. Franco Rudolf Oriol of the CCPO said investigators are now working to identify the individual behind the online post and determine accountability.
Authorities warned that individuals responsible for creating or sharing threatening content online may face criminal charges, stressing that such acts are treated as serious offenses under Philippine law.
Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival called on the public to avoid circulating unverified information, saying authorities had already confirmed the nature of the incident and activated response protocols.
“Earlier today, an initial report of a bomb threat in a school in Cebu City was immediately verified by our authorities. It was later confirmed that the incident involved a reported shooting threat through a Facebook post, not a bomb threat,” Archival said.
He urged residents to rely only on official advisories and maintain calm as investigations continue.
The incident unfolded amid heightened sensitivity following a recent school shooting in Tacloban City, which has led to increased security awareness in schools nationwide.
Authorities reiterated that online threats are punishable by law and urged the public to report suspicious posts directly instead of sharing them on social media.