REP. SALVADOR B. BELARO, JR.
1-Ang Edukasyon Party-list
Assistant Majority Leader
Member, Higher and Technical Education and 10 other committees
PHILIPPINES ALSO HAS A GUN CONTROL PROBLEM: LOOSE FIREARMS, MEN WHO RUN AMOK SHOOTING, PRIVATE ARMIES, ELECTION-RELATED VIOLENCE
Rep. Belaro asks PNP, DOJ to report on gun possession and shooting incidents
involving students and teachers on-campus and off-campus.
Uncommon but it does happen sometimes in some schools here in the Philippines that a student is caught in possession of a gun while on campus. However, we do not have the active shooter problem that happens often in schools in the United States, where students are now rising up in protest against the lack of stricter gun control laws and enforcement.
Here in the Philippines, the need is for preventive and security measures especially for high schools because the older students are the ones caught bringing guns to school. These measures must be consistent with the DepEd’s child protection policy.
In August 2017 in Pangasinan, a gun was found in the possession of a high school student.
https://youtu.be/SiaxKEpYK_c .
In June 2013 in Iloilo City, an unidentified 16-year-old student brought a revolver to school. A schoolmate of his reported him to school authorities. These are among the reported incidents.
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/video/balitapilipinas/167865/16-anyos-na-estudyante-nahulihan-ng-baril-sa-loob-ng-eskwelahan-sa-iloilo-city/video/ How many are unreported “dahil nakakahiya” is unknown.
Sometimes, school teachers are victims of shootings but usually not on-campus. Here are two excerpts of separate statements of the DepEd on shooting incidents involving its personnel:
July 2017
Emily Mallari, principal of Alitagtag National High School, was driving her car morning of July 4 when unidentified suspects on a motorcycle fired shots at her in Purok 4, Barangay Pinagtongulan, Lipa City. Based on the report of Lipa City Police, she lost control of the steering wheel and swerved to the roadside. Mallari sustained gunshot wounds and was immediately rushed by a barangay tanod to the hospital.
July 2016
On 18 July 2016 during its Executive Committee Meeting, the Department of Education leadership received a report from its Schools Division Office in Cotabato City of a shooting incident that killed two elementary school teachers of the department and injured another teacher in Brgy. Tamontaka 1, Cotabato City. The incident happened at around 4 pm on 12 July 2016.
According to the report, the three teachers, all from the Mokamadali Elementary School in Tamontaka 4, Cotabato City, were on their way home coming from a PTA meeting when the incident happened. The three were riding a public utility motorcycle when they were fired upon by an unidentified gunman also riding a motorcycle. Tragically, Teacher Fajara Cabuntalan La was declared dead on arrival at the at the Cotabato City Regional Medical Center, while Teacher Sitti Usop Abdullah also passed away later in the evening. It was only Teacher Aisha Karon Malogka who survived the injuries. The driver of the motorcycle was also injured.
We would appreciate it if the PNP and the DOJ can update us in detail on what happened to these incidents involving the teachers and students.
I have filed House Bill 6072 (Rationalized Cancellation and Suspension of Work and School Classes Act) which has a provision (section 4) authorizing the suspension of classes when there is an active shooter situation, kidnapping, or hostage-taking within or in the immediate vicinity of the school.
On the streets and in homes in Metro Manila and other densely-populated areas, we have near-daily occurrence of fatal shooting incidents involving neighbors and suspected drug dealers and runners.
Every now and then, some men go amok shooting to death their relatives and neighbors or taking innocents hostage.
EAGLE NEWS
http://www.eaglenews.ph/lalaking-walang-habas-na-nagpaputok-ng-baril-arestado-sa-cubao/ TEMPO
http://tempo.com.ph/2017/01/14/binatilyo-binaril-sa-ulo/ Especially in the provinces, thousands of loose firearms are in the hands of private armies, bandits, and rebels. Local elections in many hotspots tend to be bloody, deadly, and often involving unlicensed firearms.
The election gun ban and checkpoints siphon away some of the loose firearms, but little is known about whether those caught ever get prosecuted and convicted.
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