DepEd honors student who fought off Banga shooter

KORONADAL CITY, SOUTH COTABATO, Philippines — A 14-year-old student who fought off the gunman during a gun attack at Banga National High School in Banga, South Cotabato, last month said he was only concerned about keeping his classmates safe.

Bryan Ezel Pamonag bared this during his recognition by the Department of Education (DepEd) during the National School Safety Week celebration in Cainta, Rizal, this week.

“To be honest, when the shooting happened on Sept. 18, I never thought about becoming famous or being called a hero. All I could think about was the safety of my classmates,” Pamonag said in his speech during the ceremony on Oct. 12.

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READ: 5 criminal raps lodged vs father of South Cotabato school shooter

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Education Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara presented Pamonag with a plaque and certificate of recognition as a “DepEd Hero” for his bravery during the school attack.

Recalling the incident, Pamonag said he was sitting beside a classmate, who was the first to be shot inside their classroom by the 16-year-old gunman.

He admitted being frightened by the gunfire but knew he had to do something to prevent the shooting from entering their classroom and harming more students.

According to Pamonag, he kicked the shooter, the impact damaging the classroom door. When the gunman shot through the window, he used a chair to ward him off.

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He was shot in the hand while trying to stop the gunman but continued holding the chair despite the pain.

“Even though my hand was already [bloodied] and hurting, I did not let go of the chair. I continued blocking him,” he recalled.

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His actions, he said, gave his classmates enough time to break a back window and escape.

Pamonag said his wounded hand would eventually heal, but the pain of losing his classmates and the other victims would remain with him.

Three students were killed, including the shooter who later turned the gun on himself, and six others were wounded in the deadly campus incident that shocked their sleepy town.

Painful memories

Pamonag dedicated the recognition to the victims, their families and the entire school community.

“This award is not just for me. I dedicate it to them, their families and the entire Banga National High School,” he said.

His father, Edgar, said in a phone interview that he and his wife, Cecilia, were happy that their son had been recognized, although the award also brought back painful memories of the shooting.

“I’m happy as a father that my son received this recognition. But there’s still pain in my heart because some of his classmates died,” Edgar told the Inquirer.

Despite the tragedy, Edgar said he and his wife were grateful that their son had helped save many of his classmates.

Edgar shared that Bryan appeared to be recovering well and had shown no obvious signs of severe trauma, although the family continued to watch over him.

But he said their son would become emotional whenever he remembered his classmates who died in the shooting.

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The Banga shooting, the third fatal attack this year after incidents in Tacloban City and Zamboanga City, raised concerns about school safety and prompted authorities to review security measures to prevent similar incidents. /cb