Angara proposes inter-agency task force after Cotabato school shooting

MANILA, Philippines — Education Secretary Sonny Angara has proposed establishing a Joint School Safety Task Force alongside the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to conduct site-specific security audits across public schools nationwide.

The proposal comes in response to a directive from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. following a deadly shooting at Banga National High School in South Cotabato, marking the third fatal campus shooting in the country over the last three months.

President Marcos instructed the Department of Education (DepEd), DILG, and PNP to submit a comprehensive assessment report recommending concrete policy measures to prevent future campus violence.

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READ: South Cotabato school shooting kills 3, hurts 6

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“We cannot accept school shootings as a normal part of our children’s lives. Our children have the right to study without fear. Parents have the right to send them to school knowing they will come home safe. This is our responsibility to every Filipino family,” President Marcos said in a statement.

Angara, who personally visited Banga National High School on Saturday, stated that DepEd will collaborate with partner agencies to review existing security measures and address lingering safety gaps.

“This operational framework is not intended to create another permanent bureaucracy, but rather to bring the agencies together to assess specific risks, identify gaps, and recommend concrete interventions,” Angara said.

The proposed task force will evaluate critical campus security areas, including physical access control, threat reporting mechanisms, emergency response protocols, and coordination with local law enforcement. Findings will be used to implement actionable safety measures across school, division, regional, and national levels.

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In addition to safety audits, DepEd is coordinating with the PNP to investigate how the firearm was accessed and brought into the school. DepEd stated it will await the official investigation results before taking administrative action under agency rules, while deferring to law enforcement regarding potential violations of firearm laws.

DepEd is also prioritizing mental health support, deploying specialized teams and field personnel to Banga National High School to provide immediate psychological first aid to affected students, personnel, and families.

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“My heartfelt condolences go out to the families who lost their loved ones. No parent should have to experience this kind of pain, and no child should ever be afraid to go to school,” Angara said.

“We also extend our sympathies to the entire Banga National High School community. Our immediate priority is to support the affected learners, families, and school personnel, including delivering the necessary medical and psychosocial assistance,” he added.