5 criminal raps lodged vs father of South Cotabato school shooter

KORONADAL CITY, SOUTH COTABATO, Philippines — Five criminal complaints have been filed against the father of the student-shooter in the deadly campus attack at Banga National High School in South Cotabato last month, which left three students dead, including the shooter, and six others wounded.

This followed police findings that the father was allegedly negligent in securing the gun at home, which the son managed to take and use in the fatal shooting.

Maj. Robert Fores, officer in charge of the Police Regional Office 12 Public Information Office, confirmed on Monday that the complaints were filed following the Sept. 18 shooting that shocked the sleepy farming town of Banga in the upper valley district of South Cotabato.

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Investigators found that the student had used a Glock 9mm pistol registered in his father’s name.

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Unsafe

Police said the gun had not been properly kept in a secure place, making it possible for the teenager to get hold of and use it in the crime.

Fores told the Inquirer that three complaints were filed against the father on Sept. 28, another on Sept. 29, and the fifth on Oct. 6 by the parents of the victims before the Koronadal City Prosecutor’s Office here.

Among the complaints is reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide and injuries in relation to Republic Act No. 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, the official revealed.

Fores noted the shooting was unfortunate and could have been prevented had the firearm been properly secured at home by the father.

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He said the father’s alleged failure to keep the gun out of his son’s easy reach allowed the teenager to obtain the weapon later used in the shooting.

The father was a Disaster Risk Reduction and Management officer of the Department of Education (DepEd) in Region 12.

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DepEd officials earlier confirmed that he had been relieved of his post following the shooting, even before the first three criminal complaints were filed against him.

However, the Philippine National Police’s Special Investigation Task Group-Banga (SITG-Banga) does not consider the case closed with the filing of those cases.

Fores said that SITG-Banga continues to handle the case to determine whether other individuals may also be held responsible for the deadly incident.

He reminded gun owners to keep their firearms in a secure place, especially in homes with children, to prevent a similar incident.

The father has yet to publicly respond to the complaints filed against him.

The Banga deadly school shooting was the third in the country this year—the first in Tacloban in June and in Zamboanga City in August.

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In the Banga and Zamboanga attacks, both suspects killed themselves after the rampage. /cb