Zamboanga school shooting alarms CWC, vows to boost child safety

MANILA, Philippines – The Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) expressed deep concern over the shooting at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University Junior High School in Zamboanga City on Tuesday, and vowed to strengthen safety mechanisms.

Earlier, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla confirmed that two students died in the school shooting.

READ: 2 reported dead in Zamboanga City school shooting“Lubos tayong nalulungkot sa trahedyang ito at sa patuloy na paglitaw ng mga ulat ng karahasang kinasasangkutan ng mga bata,” said Undersecretary Angelo Tapales, executive director of the Council for the Welfare of Children, an agency under the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

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(We are deeply saddened by this tragedy and by the continuing reports of violence involving children.)

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In a statement, the CWC said it continues to monitor developments and coordinate with concerned government agencies and stakeholders to ensure that child protection, safety, and welfare remain at the center of the response. 

The agency also vowed to continue working with schools, media organizations, civil society groups, families, and communities to strengthen mechanisms that promote safe and child-friendly environments.

The CWC also strongly appealed to the public and media practitioners to exercise caution and responsibility when posting, sharing, or reposting information about children involved in incidents of violence.

READ: DepEd expresses concern about Ateneo de Zamboanga shooting, vows help

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“Whether a victim, witness, or Child in Conflict with the Law (CICL), a child’s name, photo, video, personal information, or any other identifying details should not be disclosed,” said the CWC in Filipino.

CWC said the dissemination of unverified information, graphic materials, livestreams, and sensitive content may cause further trauma, stigma, discrimination, and risk, and could also affect ongoing investigations and child protection interventions.

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Earlier, the Department of Education also urged the public to refrain from sharing unverified information about the incident online and to avoid posting sensitive photos, videos, or other details, particularly because minors are involved.

The DepEd said it is coordinating with mental health partners to provide psychological first aid and psychosocial support to those impacted by the incident. /jpv