ILOILO CITY — A Grade 10 student was taken into protective custody after school authorities discovered a loaded.38-caliber revolver inside his backpack at a public high school in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo, prompting renewed calls for tighter campus security.
The incident occurred on June 30 at Barotac Nuevo National Comprehensive High School (BNNCHS), where school personnel immediately alerted the Barotac Nuevo Municipal Police Station after finding the firearm during school hours.
Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) said responding officers recovered a.38-caliber revolver loaded with six live rounds.
The 15-year-old student, classified as a child in conflict with the law, was placed under child-sensitive intervention procedures and was later turned over to the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office.
The firearm and ammunition are now under the custody of the Barotac police for proper disposition, documentation and appropriate legal action.
In a statement, PRO-6 acting director BGen. Randulf Tuaño commended school officials and responding police officers for their swift coordination, saying the prompt reporting prevented a potentially dangerous situation.
“The most important thing is that our students and teachers remain safe. The discovery shows the effective coordination between schools and the police,” he said.
He also urged parents and guardians to play an active role in guiding their children and encouraged communities to support school safety initiatives.
The student reportedly brought the firearm to school after he was allegedly assaulted by two classmates and wanted protection in case another confrontation occurred.
The revolver had been left behind by his father about five years ago, before leaving for Mindanao. His parents are said to be separated.
Barotac Nuevo Mayor Bryant Paul Biron described the incident as "deeply concerning and serves as a serious reminder that the safety of our children can never be taken for granted."
Biron also called on the Department of Education to strengthen security in public schools by creating permanent security personnel positions, installing more CCTV cameras, and enhancing existing learner protection and crisis response protocols.
“These protocols should no longer be viewed as optional but as essential investments in the protection of our learners and school personnel,” he emphasized.
2 students stabbed by school mate in Zamboanga City
Meanwhile, a Grade 11 student, who said he was being bullied and pressured to use marijuana, stabbed two of his classmates inside a national high school in Zamboanga City on Wednesday, July 1.
According to reports, the suspect had been placed in one classroom while the two injured students were being given first aid by Bureau of Fire Protection responders.
The reports added that the suspect had been subjected to constant bullying and peer pressure days before the incident inside a national high school in Barangay Cabaluay in Zamboanga City.
Police said that the suspect, a member of Knights of the Altar, accused the two victims of pressuring him to use marijuana.
According to the victim, he decided to bring a knife for fear of being bullied again and forced to smoke marijuana.