BANGA, South Cotabato | The student who opened fire at Banga National High School in South Cotabato was heavily involved in activity on the “deep dark web,” which authorities believe may have influenced him, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Saturday, as investigators continued examining the circumstances surrounding the shooting that left three people dead and several others injured.
Remulla said investigators recovered notes from the student’s cellphone describing his depression and found evidence of extensive internet activity. He said the student’s parents had discovered his condition in April and had tried to address it, but the efforts were not enough. The DILG chief did not provide further details about the specific online material that investigators believe influenced the student.
The shooting happened at about 1 p.m. Friday inside the school in Banga town. Two students were killed and the shooter also died after turning the gun on himself. Authorities initially reported six injured victims, while subsequent reports from officials placed the number of injured at eight. One of the injured students was reported to be in critical condition in an intensive care unit.
Authorities are also investigating reports that the student belonged to an online “true crime community.” South Cotabato officials said investigators found posts in which school shooters were reportedly idolized. Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the Department of Education would seek assistance from the Department of Information and Communications Technology and the DILG to examine the reported online connections. He stressed that the matter still requires investigation.
The firearm used in the attack was reportedly a 9mm pistol owned by the student’s father, a Department of Education employee. Philippine News Agency reported that the father had kept the weapon in a vault and that the student allegedly destroyed the vault to gain access to it. Authorities are continuing to investigate how the firearm was obtained and whether any laws were violated.
The Department of Education has deployed intervention teams to provide psychological first aid and mental health support to students, families and school personnel. Angara also said the department plans to strengthen school security, including the deployment of additional metal detectors and efforts to increase the availability of school counselor associates.
The Banga shooting is the third Philippine school shooting in 2026 resulting in multiple deaths, according to DepEd. Angara said the incidents, which occurred within a period of about four months, have prompted the department to review security measures in schools. DepEd has also emphasized that schools are considered zones of peace, a policy intended to protect students and education personnel from violence.
The latest tragedy has renewed scrutiny of firearms access by minors and children’s exposure to violent material online. Remulla has called for closer monitoring of minors’ internet and social-media activity and has urged lawmakers to consider stronger accountability for firearm owners when weapons are accessed by children.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have cautioned against drawing conclusions about the student’s online activity or its role in the shooting until investigators complete their examination of the evidence.
DC Alviar
Professor DC Alviar is a tenured associate professor at National University (NU) Manila and a steering committee member of the Philippine International Studies Organization (PHISO). He has contributed to NU's community extension initiatives that introduced the five disciplines of a learning organization (Senge, 1990) to communities within a local government unit. He writes and edits local reports for Mega Scene. He graduated with Master of Development Communication (MDC) and Doctor of Communication (DComm) degrees from the University of the Philippines (UP) Open University in Los Baños and was awarded with a Commission on Higher Education (CHED) SIKAP grant. He previously served as editor-in-chief of The Adamson News and his high school publication Ang Ugat.
- DC Alviar
- DC Alviar
- DC Alviar
- DC Alviar
