Police are investigating alleged online threats involving students in Escalante City after screenshots of a private online conversation circulated on social media.
The screenshots appeared to show a student account discussing plans related to Monday and Tuesday classes, mentioning a school bag inspection, referring to the Tacloban school shooting, and sending an image of what appeared to be a handgun.
Other messages shown in the screenshots included statements such as “run for your life,” “no one can stop me,” and “they can’t catch me.”
The authenticity, full context, and authorship of the messages have not yet been independently established.
In a statement issued Monday, June 29, the Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region said the Escalante City Police Station is coordinating with school officials, parents, and the City Social Welfare and Development Office.
PRO-NIR said the parents of the child believed to be responsible for the messages voluntarily signed a written waiver authorizing police investigators to examine the child’s mobile phone.
The device will undergo digital forensic examination to identify the individuals involved in the online conversation and determine the nature and extent of any possible threat.
Police said preventive measures were initiated immediately after authorities learned about the incident.
The screenshots were posted publicly by a relative who said the conversation was discovered after a child left a tablet open.
The post appealed to authorities and the school to prevent the child involved from attending classes on Monday and Tuesday because of concerns over the messages.
The police also said classes were not officially suspended because of the reported threats.
However, school officials gave parents the discretion to fetch their children or allow them to remain in school, police said.
PRO-NIR did not disclose the identities, ages, or grade levels of the children involved.
The regional police office also did not confirm whether the firearm shown in the messages was real, accessible to the child, or merely an image obtained from another source.
Police said the investigation is being handled in coordination with the school because the matter involves minors.
All police stations in the Negros Island Region have also been directed to maintain close coordination with schools and local government offices amid concerns involving student safety.
PRO-NIR urged parents and guardians to closely monitor their children’s online activities and immediately report threats, violent statements, cyberbullying, or other behavior that may place students at risk.*
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