SENATOR Bam Aquino has called for an inquiry into the fatal shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, saying authorities must determine how weapons were brought onto the campus and ensure similar incidents do not happen again.

Aquino extended his condolences to the families of the students who were killed and those injured in the attack.

“First of all, we sympathize with the parents and loved ones of the children who died, as well as all those who were hurt at San Jose National High School,” Aquino said.

The senator stressed that schools should remain safe environments for learning and not become places associated with fear and violence.

“We need our schools to be places of safety and not spaces of fear and violence,” he said.

Aquino emphasized the importance of preventing school shootings from becoming a recurring problem in the country, noting that such incidents should never be considered normal.

“It is important that this does not happen repeatedly. Unlike in some other countries where school shootings have become common, this is not acceptable in our country,” he said.

The lawmaker said authorities must thoroughly investigate how weapons, including knives and firearms, were able to enter the school.

“We need to find out how these weapons entered the campus. Knives and guns should not be getting into our schools,” Aquino added.

Aquino also revealed that the Senate committee handling the proposed School Safety Act would include the Tacloban shooting in its deliberations. He said lawmakers would examine the circumstances surrounding the incident and explore measures to strengthen campus security and better protect students.

The proposed legislation has previously focused on issues such as bullying and other threats to student welfare. Aquino said the recent shooting highlights the need to further strengthen school safety policies and ensure that educational institutions remain secure for learners, teachers, and school personnel.