St. John’s Institute (SJI) in Bacolod City will resume face-to-face classes on Friday, March 13, after a mass shooting threat that circulated online was investigated and found to be a hoax.
“We would like to inform everyone that the recent threat at the school has been investigated and found to be false,” SJI Principal Mariedel Isulat announced Thursday afternoon.
The school has taken all necessary steps to assess the situation and ensure the safety of our students, teachers, and staff, she said.
“We want to assure you that everything is under control, and we remain committed to maintaining a safe and secure environment for everyone,” Isulat said.
On-site classes will resume Friday, she added.
The school temporarily shifted to online classes while authorities assessed the situation on Thursday.
PMaj. Eugene Tolentino, commander of Bacolod City Police Station 2, said the source of the message is still under investigation
A screenshot of a text message saying that there would be a mass shooting at SJI circulated on social media Thursday morning, Tolentino said.
The sender of the text message hit the school management for allegedly being overworked following the resumption of face-to-face classes.
Tolentino said several individuals may be invited for questioning, but authorities cannot yet disclose their details.
Police also conducted a security survey and increased patrol visibility around the school to ensure the safety of students, teachers, and staff.
Authorities are continuing efforts to identify the person responsible for spreading the threat.
Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya said the city government immediately coordinated with the Bacolod City Police Office after the social media post alleging a mass shooting threat surfaced.
Gasataya said SWAT and additional police units were deployed around the campus while the matter was referred to the PNP Cybercrime Unit for investigation.
He added that closed-circuit television systems in the school were also checked to support the ongoing probe.
Gasataya warned that anyone responsible for issuing or spreading threats that endanger the public will be held accountable and prosecuted under the law.
The mayor urged the public to remain calm and refrain from spreading unverified information while authorities continue the investigation.*
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