Ateneo de Zamboanga University school shooting

A shooting at Ateneo de Zamboanga University Junior High School resulted in the deaths of a Grade 10 student and the 15-year-old perpetrator, who died by suicide. The shooter, identified as Mohammad Mael Jalani, allegedly used two firearms—a .40 caliber pistol and a 9mm pistol—belonging to his father, a Bureau of Customs employee. Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla stated the shooter acted alone, and the father, who reportedly left the weapons in a vehicle used to transport the boy, has been relieved from his position as a district commander.

During the attack, the minor used a body-mounted camera to livestream the incident on Facebook, providing a first-person perspective similar to a shooting video game. This footage was subsequently circulated on platforms such as X and Facebook. Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. ordered the Anti-Cybercrime Group to coordinate with social media platforms to remove related content to prevent further distress and investigation interference.

In the aftermath, House Committee on Public Order and Safety Chairman Rolando Valeriano urged the PNP to launch a nationwide firearms safety and compliance campaign. Senator Bam Aquino advocated for stricter enforcement of age restrictions on violent games, while the gaming platform Roblox introduced facial age estimation technology and expanded parental controls.

Catholic leaders have responded to the tragedy. Manila’s Archbishop Jose Advincula urged families to address issues like loneliness and bullying, calling for “stronger systems of care and safe spaces for dialogue.” Cardinal Tagle emphasized rebuilding human connections, and Cebu Archbishop Alberto Uy released an ‘oratio imperata’ for the protection of schools. Psychiatrist Dr. Randy Dellosa warned of potential copycat incidents, advising monitoring for “leakage of intention” online.