The city government of Tagbilaran has ordered all public schools to suspend weekend activities after an anonymous message threatening to shoot students began circulating on social media and messaging apps this week.
City Hall said it was closely monitoring the threat, which named Mansasa National High School and Tagbilaran City College among possible targets and warned that violence could begin around July 28, 2026.
City Mayor Jane Cajes-Yap said the Tagbilaran City Police Station, led by Chief Joey Bicoy, had launched an immediate verification and investigation into the message’s origin, working alongside the Department of Education to safeguard students, teachers and school staff.
As a precaution, the city ordered all public schools, including Tagbilaran City College, to cancel any school-initiated activities over the weekend, according to the advisory.
Officials appealed to the public for information that could help identify whoever was responsible for the post, providing hotline numbers for the city police station and vowing that those found responsible would face consequences.
In a separate advisory, police in the town of Batuan urged residents not to share unverified threats online, warning that a similar forwarded message referencing school shootings, including in Batuan, was circulating and could stoke unnecessary panic.
Batuan police said such threats — whether genuine or a prank — should be reported directly to authorities rather than shared, so they could be properly investigated and, where warranted, prosecuted.
Threats of violence against schools spread via text messages and social media have periodically triggered alarm across the Philippines in recent months, prompting local governments and the Department of Education to issue precautionary measures even before claims are verified.
Law enforcement officials have noted that hoaxes and unfounded threats can carry legal consequences under the country’s Cybercrime Prevention Act, though authorities generally urge caution and verification before information is shared widely, to avoid amplifying panic over unconfirmed reports.