Business · Philippines Bureau
Zamboanga school shooter's father left firearms in vehicle, BOC says
The Bureau of Customs commissioner acknowledged that the father of the Ateneo de Zamboanga shooter, a suspended port police district commander, had stored his service weapons in his vehicle. The disclosure raises fresh questions about firearm security protocols among law enforcement personnel.
LSN Philippines ·
Bureau of Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said the father of the Ateneo de Zamboanga school shooter left his firearms in his vehicle, citing the dangerous nature of the port area as justification for armed personnel.
The shooter's father, a district commander of the Bureau of Customs police at Zamboanga City port, has since been suspended from his post pending the investigation into the incident.
Nepomuceno's statement suggests the weapons were accessible in the vehicle, raising concerns about firearm storage practices among law enforcement officers stationed in high-risk areas. The disclosure comes as authorities continue their investigation into the shooting incident at the private school.
The incident has reignited debate over firearm safety protocols and the responsibility of law enforcement personnel to secure weapons, particularly when access by unauthorized persons, including minors, is possible. Authorities have not yet released further details regarding the circumstances that led to the shooter obtaining access to the weapons.