Zamboanga city: The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) on Thursday reminded its personnel of their responsibility to properly handle and strictly safeguard their government-issued and personal service firearms after another fatal school shooting incident involving a student in Zamboanga City.

According to Philippines News Agency, BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. issued a memorandum, emphasizing that "firearm safety is a continuing duty that extends beyond the workplace." He stressed that personnel authorized to possess firearms must ensure that their weapons are secured at all times and cannot be accessed by unauthorized individuals, particularly children and minors.

Catapang highlighted that responsible firearm ownership requires discipline, vigilance, and full compliance with established safety protocols. He warned that a moment of carelessness could result in irreversible consequences, including accidental shootings, loss of life, criminal liability, and damage to the reputation of the service. He urged BuCor personnel to lead by example and help prevent firearms from falling into the hands of minors.

Catapang's call to action followed an incident where a Grade 8 student opened fire inside a school, killing one student and injuring several others before taking his own life. The student used his father's two firearms. He emphasized that weapons must never be left unattended or placed in locations where they can be easily accessed by unauthorized individuals.

The recent shooting at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University junior high school campus occurred nearly two months after a deadly shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, Leyte, where three students were killed and 13 others wounded. The suspects in that incident, aged 14 and 15, were also students of the public school.