CHR urges probe, stricter gun control after Zambo school shooting

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) called for a thorough investigation into the Zamboanga school shooting that left two minors dead and stressed the need to strengthen measures to keep guns out of children’s reach.

In a statement on Wednesday, the CHR said preventing similar incidents requires stronger school safety and child protection measures.

“Prevention must look beyond the immediate violence and address the conditions that place children at risk while keeping schools safe spaces for learning, development, and peace,” said the CHR.

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It urged government agencies, local governments, schools, families, and communities to reinforce safeguards, including accessible psychosocial and mental health services and measures to keep firearms out of children’s reach.

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READ: Ateneo de Zamboanga shooter’s father left guns in car — BOC

Earlier, Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said the father of the Zamboanga City school shooting suspect, who has been suspended as district commander of the police at the local port, had left his firearms inside his vehicle.

The commission also said the involvement of children in serious acts of violence calls for a careful and rights-based approach to juvenile justice and child protection. 

“While the violence and loss of life must be unequivocally condemned, judgment about the child involved should not precede a full understanding of the circumstances surrounding the incident,” said the CHR.

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The CHR likewise urged the media to exercise caution and responsibility in covering the incident. 

It warned against sensationalizing the shooting, publishing graphic images or details that could encourage imitation, or prematurely assigning motives or psychological conditions. 

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Amid another tragedy involving children, the CHR stressed that the best interests of the child must remain paramount. 

It said accountability, child protection, and violence prevention should be pursued together as part of a rights-based response. 

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“Every school must remain a place where children can learn and grow in safety and dignity,” said the CHR. /das