PNP chief orders crackdown on Ateneo shooting videos, photos
Trigger warning: School shooting, violence
MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Police General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. has ordered the Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) to step up its online operations to remove photos and videos linked to the gun attack at Ateneo de Zamboanga University.
In a statement on August 19, Nartatez ordered the ACG to coordinate directly with social media platform administrators to take down the footage and prevent netizens, especially minors, from re-sharing screenshots or video clips of the incident.
"This is an unfortunate incident that should be treated with utmost sensitivity, especially since there were minors involved in the content," Nartatez said.
"We appeal to everyone to refrain from sharing or reposting the videos and photos of the incident. These materials can cause further distress to the victims, their families and the public, and may also interfere with the ongoing investigation,” he added.
Beyond establishing the sequence of events, Nartatez said that police investigators are focusing on critical lapses, including how the minor managed to smuggle two firearms onto school grounds.
Nartatez noted that the probe will look into underlying circumstances to prevent similar tragedies, emphasizing the need to enforce strict accountability among gun owners whose weapons become accessible to children.
“We have to dig deeper into this matter, especially since this is not the first time that this tragedy has happened. Our focus is to check if there’s a pattern or identify intervention measures to prevent the repeat of this kind of incident,” Nartatez said.
The PNP is currently working alongside the Department of Education (DepEd) to review and bolster safety protocols across schools nationwide.
The incident occurred on the morning of August 18, when two individuals died and nine were wounded.
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