Manila prelate: turn shooting tragedy into ‘united action’

MANILA, Philippines — Manila Archbishop Cardinal Jose Advincula made an appeal for a deeper understanding of the “tragedy” of the Aug. 18 school shooting and of “the struggles of our young people.”

Responding to the second incident of campus violence since the June 22 shooting in Tacloban, Leyte, Advincula in a statement on Friday urged the country to turn grief into “prayer and united action, so that violence and hatred may never have the final word.”

Two students, including the shooter who killed himself, died in Tuesday’s shooting at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University (AdZU).

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“We need to listen to [the youth], not only when they speak loudly, but especially when they suffer quietly,” Advincula said. “We need to create spaces where they can speak without fear of judgement, seek help without shame, and know that they are valued and loud.”

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“We join the entire AdZU community in profound grief over the loss of young lives and in deep concern for those who have been wounded, traumatized and deeply affected by this tragedy,” he said. “We must not allow this tragedy to pass without listening deeply to what it tells us about the struggles of our young people.”

READ: PNP to tighten firearm safekeeping rules after Zamboanga shooting

The government has stepped into the growing public threat of school violence, with Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla and Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. visiting Ateneo Zamboanga on Thursday.

But Remulla said during his visit “There was no [security] lapse on the part of Ateneo. They followed the law and checked the bags. The shooter simply found an opportunity.”

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He also said the shooter’s family has requested privacy since “they have more questions than answers.”

A final police report is due on Aug. 24.

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Telcos screen content

Meanwhile Globe Telecom Inc. said it would cut subscribers’ access to hundreds of sites that stream or host violent content.

READ: PLDT shuts out sites streaming school shootings, violence

“The recent school shooting incident is one opportunity where the industry can work together by removing sites that induce violence in our networks,” Globe counsel Froilan Castelo said in a statement, adding the company is “ready to do [its] part and protect children online.”

Globe said it is coordinating with the government, the Internet Watch Foundation and other concerned parties in identifying and cutting access to harmful and illegal content.

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The two largest telcos in the country are Globe and PLDT Inc., which also said it would block more than 100 sites carrying similar violent content. /cb