Police operatives across South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat have taken six students into custody in connection with a series of gun-related threats posted on social media platforms.
Among those apprehended was a 13-year-old student taken into custody on Monday in Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat.
According to reports from Camp Crame, the students made a Facebook post threatening a shooting incident at Kapingkong National High School. The Philippine National Police (PNP) noted that a teacher alerted authorities to the posts, which were accompanied by photos of firearms. PNP and social welfare officers traced the student and brought him to the local barangay hall alongside a guardian. He has been placed under his guardian’s care “for appropriate counseling and support, with the intervention of social welfare personnel.”
In a separate operation in Tupi, Sultan Kudarat, police arrested an 18-year-old student on Sunday for uploading photos of himself holding a gun. Law enforcement seized his mobile phone, which the PNP stated will be subjected to “technical examination” as they prepare to file a charge of alarms and scandal.
Addressing these two cases, PNP Chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. issued a stern warning.
“Let this be a reminder that social media is not a place to make threats or create fear,” said Nartatez. “Even though a post is made online, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t have an impact in real life. We will take credible reports seriously, verify the facts and respond accordingly.”
Nartatez emphasized that the PNP will “uphold due process and ensure that cases, especially those involving minors, are handled with the proper care.”
Meanwhile, in Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat, two Esperanza National High School students were apprehended on Sunday after a video surfaced showing them holding a firearm. Though recorded on July 11 during a birthday celebration, the clip began circulating widely on Saturday.
The students were brought to the local police station accompanied by their parents, alongside an adult accomplice. Investigators are currently searching for the firearm shown in the footage and pursuing a person of interest known as alias “Mikeng.”
“It is important to first understand the full context before drawing conclusions or sharing information. We will continue to investigate this incident and determine the origin and location of the gun seen in the video,” said Soccsksargen police director Brig. Gen. Alan Manibog. “Our goal is to maintain public safety and ensure that all our actions are in accordance with the law.”
In Surallah, South Cotabato, local officials also moved against online threats over the weekend. Governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. confirmed that two 16-year-old students were taken into custody on Sunday in Barangay Lamiah.
“We are against intimidation of our countrymen, especially our students and parents. So we are taking actions to catch all those behind threatening video clips, (and) Facebook posts,” Tamayo stated, confirming that the two teenagers “are presently detained and we are exerting efforts to file charges against them.”