Authorities swiftly responded to a shooting alarm threat at Cebu Eastern College (CEC) on Leon Kilat Street, Barangay Pahina Central, Cebu City, on Thursday morning, July 2, 2026. Led by Police Captain Venstine P. Bontilao, chief of the Carbon Police Station, a comprehensive inspection of the entire school was launched to ensure the safety of students, teachers, and staff.
The operation involved the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Team, SWAT, Tactical Motorcycle Riding Unit (TMRU), City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), barangay tanods of Pahina Central, and school administrators.
Social Media Post Triggers Alert
According to the investigation, the panic started after a social media post from a username “sanzu” stated: “bantay bantay kay mamusil ko ugma sa mga freshmen” (watch out, I will shoot freshmen tomorrow).
However, after a police search, no suspicious objects or individuals were found inside CEC, leading to the resumption of classes.
Mayor Urges Calm
Mayor Nestor Archival urged the public to remain calm and avoid spreading unverified information. In an official statement, Archival said that the safety of students, teachers, and staff remains the city government’s top priority.
He clarified that although the initial report received by authorities was about a bomb threat, the investigation confirmed it was actually a shooting threat made via a Facebook post.
“Early today, the initial report about a bomb threat at a school in Cebu City was immediately acted upon by our authorities. It was later verified that the incident involved a shooting threat through a Facebook post, and not a bomb threat,” Archival said.
“We ask everyone to remain calm, avoid spreading unverified information, and only rely on official advisories from our authorities. Let us continue to work together to preserve the safety of our community,” he added.
Ongoing Investigation
Lt. Col. Franco Rudolf Oriol, deputy city director for administration of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said they are still investigating the motive behind the threat, while authorities continue to identify the person responsible for the social media post.
Oriol said the CCPO has already forwarded the post to the Philippine National Police Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit 7 for digital forensic investigation.
The school has also coordinated with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to help identify the person behind the threat.
The police strongly advised the public to avoid spreading unverified information that could cause public fear.
Authorities also urged the public to remain calm and immediately report any suspicious activity to the nearest police station.
