ZAMBOANGA CITY — The Philippine National Police (PNP) has filed a criminal complaint for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and physical injuries against the registered owner of the firearms used in the August 18 shooting at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University Junior High School (AdZU-JHS), as well as against the school security guard who was on duty when the weapons were brought onto the campus.
The charges followed the completion of an investigation by the Police Regional Office 9 through a Special Investigation Task Group into the shooting at the private school in Barangay Tumaga that left two students dead and another injured. Investigators examined witness statements, closed-circuit television footage, physical and digital evidence, school records and firearm-related evidence to establish the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
According to the police investigation, the registered firearm owner—the father of the student who brought the weapons to school—was found to have exercised insufficient care in securing the firearms. Investigators determined that the weapons were not adequately safeguarded, allowing the minor to gain unauthorized access to them and eventually bring them onto school grounds.
The school security guard, meanwhile, was included in the complaint over alleged failure to properly enforce established security and screening procedures. Police said the deficiencies in entry screening allowed the student to pass through the school’s security checkpoint with the firearms without being detected.
Police emphasized that the filing of the complaint was based on evidence gathered during the investigation and does not constitute a final determination of criminal guilt. The accused will remain entitled to due process, with the appropriate prosecutorial and judicial authorities to determine whether criminal liability exists based on the evidence and applicable law.
“Based on the evidence gathered, the firearms owner exercised insufficient care and control over dangerous weapons entrusted to him—negligence that directly contributed to this tragedy. The security guard likewise shares responsibility for failing to intercept the firearms before they entered the campus,” the Police Regional Office said.
No Evidence of Conspiracy Found
The PNP said investigators found no evidence that the shooting was part of a conspiracy involving a group, organization or other individuals.
The investigation likewise did not establish a sufficiently supported school-related or personal grievance that could explain the attack. However, police said the probe identified indications of prior preparation and exposure to violent online material among the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Investigators also identified two critical areas of concern: firearm safekeeping and school security.
The investigation found that inadequate control over firearms permitted unauthorized access to the weapons ultimately used in the shooting. At the same time, deficiencies in campus entry and exit screening contributed to the failure to detect the firearms before they reached the school premises.
These findings have placed renewed attention on two layers of responsibility in preventing firearm-related violence involving minors: ensuring that weapons in private homes are securely stored and ensuring that schools maintain effective systems capable of detecting prohibited items before they enter school grounds.
PNP: Facts, Not Assumptions
Chief PNP Police General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. said investigators were tasked not only with determining what happened but also with ensuring that accountability was pursued on the basis of evidence rather than speculation.
“We owe it to the families and to the school community to get the facts right. Hindi puwedeng puro assumptions. We follow the evidence, respect due process, and let the proper legal process determine accountability. At the same time, we have to learn from what happened and close the gaps that may put others at risk,” Nartatez said.
The police chief also urged firearm owners to exercise greater responsibility in securing their weapons, particularly in households where children and other unauthorized persons may have access to them.
He called on schools and security personnel to regularly review their access-control and screening procedures, while encouraging parents and members of the public to immediately report threats, violent behavior and other warning signs that could potentially place students or communities at risk.
The PNP said the completed investigation forms part of its continuing effort to strengthen evidence-based police operations under its Focused Agenda, particularly Enhanced Managing Police Operations.
Mayor Calls for Stronger School Security
The filing of the complaint comes as Zamboanga City Mayor Khymer Olaso called on schools across the city to review and update their security plans following the AdZU-JHS shooting.
Olaso urged school administrators to strengthen existing security measures and called on national government agencies, including the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), to give greater attention to school safety and security.
He said schools should examine their existing protocols and identify weaknesses that could allow dangerous weapons or other prohibited items to enter their campuses.
The mayor also appealed particularly to parents working in the security and military sectors—and to households where firearms are present—to ensure that weapons are kept away from children and unauthorized users.
He encouraged firearm owners to use a vault or another secure storage facility rather than leaving weapons in places where minors could potentially gain access to them.
Beyond Guns and Gate Security
For Olaso, however, preventing another tragedy requires more than stronger gates, checkpoints and security personnel.
He stressed the importance of parents maintaining open communication with their children and being attentive to pressures, problems and influences that may affect young people.
“Parents should really talk to their children,” Olaso said, emphasizing the need for families to remain engaged with what their children are experiencing.
He also encouraged young people dealing with difficulties to seek help from trusted adults and assured affected families and members of the school community that the city remains concerned about their welfare.
“We are here to grieve and sympathize,” Olaso said.
The mayor cautioned against immediately attributing the shooting to a single factor, saying authorities and stakeholders need to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident more carefully.
“We have to further study this,” he said.
City, Schools Begin Security Review
On August 20, Olaso, together with Chief of Staff Celso Lobregat, City Administrator Percival Ramos, City Police Director Col. Fidel Fortaleza and other city officials, met with representatives from DepEd, public school principals and administrators, and presidents of state universities and colleges at City Hall.
The meeting focused on local safety and security concerns and came amid growing calls for schools to reassess their preparedness and response mechanisms following the AdZU incident.
The shooting has raised difficult questions about how firearms were obtained by a minor, how the weapons were brought into a school, whether existing security measures were sufficient, and what additional safeguards can be implemented to prevent a similar tragedy.
With the police investigation now completed and criminal charges filed, the focus shifts toward the prosecutorial process and, more broadly, toward whether schools, families and authorities can close the security gaps exposed by the tragedy.
The deaths of two students have left the Zamboanga City community confronting not only the immediate grief caused by the shooting but also the larger challenge of preventing firearms from reaching children and ensuring that schools remain places where students can learn without fear of violence.