Student who posted possible attack at Leyte school receives counseling

The student who posted an online warning about a possible school shooting or stabbing in Leyte is now undergoing counseling and intervention from the Tolosa Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO), authorities said.

Initial psychological assessments found that the student had been experiencing problems both at school and at home.

"Sa family medyo mayroong kaunting problema, at 'yung bata nabu-bully din siya. Grade 9 pa lang daw nabu-bully na sa school until now ng mga classmates niya... Nag-amin din siya, nag-sorry din siya po sa parents niya," said Zerah Janette Leysa of the Tolosa MSWDO in GMA Regional TV's report on "24 Oras" by Nikko Sereno on Friday.

(There are some problems within the family, and the student has also been bullied by classmates since Grade 9. She admitted making the post and apologized to her parents.)

On Friday, authorities said another possible school attack in Leyte was averted after Senator Bam Aquino alerted the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) about an online threat.

"He gave me a tip na sabi niya may chatter daw sa Tacloban na meron pang isang impending mass shooting na mangyayari sa Leyte," DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla said.

(He told me there was chatter in Tacloban about another impending mass shooting that could happen in Leyte.)

Remulla said the DILG immediately coordinated with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).

Authorities traced the threat to a 14-year-old Grade 10 student who allegedly created multiple Facebook accounts to post warnings about a possible attack.

"The investigation revealed that she created multiple Facebook accounts to disseminate this content, which spread rapidly across social media, alarming students, parents, and the public," Remulla said.

The social worker recommended that the student temporarily shift to modular learning instead of attending face-to-face classes following the incident.

"Ico-continue ko po pag-visit sa family. 'Di lang sa kanya pati sa family, kailangan ma-serve at mabigyan ng karapat-dapat na serbisyo mula sa LGU. Ongoing ang counseling," Leysa said.

(I will continue visiting the family. It's not just the student who needs support—the whole family should receive the appropriate services from the local government. The counseling is ongoing.)

The municipal government, meanwhile, vowed to continue supporting and guiding the student.

"Hindi lang hanggang doon lang. Up to the last day na siya itong bata eh makarecover na... maging alerto kami," Tolosa Mayor Erwin Cinco Ocaña said.

(It won't stop here. We will continue supporting the child until she fully recovers, while remaining vigilant.)

Tolosa Police Station chief Police Captain Jose Costiniano Jr. said authorities are continuing to monitor both the student and the school.

"Monitoring pa kami sa bata at saka sa school nila. Palagi po kaming may idine-deploy doon na mga pulis... mayroon naman silang mga security guard sa school at saka tumutulong din yung mga barangay tanod para ma-prevent natin kung may mga krimen," he said.

(We continue to monitor the student and the school. We regularly deploy police officers there, while school security guards and barangay watchmen also help prevent crime.)

Costiniano urged the public to be responsible when using social media and to avoid sharing unverified or harmful content, reminding everyone to "think before you click." — Lyjah Tiffany Bonzo/VBL, GMA News