Police and emergency responders conducted a thorough inspection of Cebu Eastern College (CEC) on July 2, 2026, after a shooting threat circulated on social media, but found no explosive devices or suspicious objects on campus.
Investigation Underway
Police Lieutenant Colonel Franco Rudolf Oriol, deputy city director for administration of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said the motive behind the threat remains under investigation. Authorities have yet to identify the person responsible for the Facebook post. Oriol stated that the CCPO has forwarded the social media post to the Philippine National Police Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit 7 for digital forensic investigation. The school administration has also coordinated with the National Bureau of Investigation to help identify the individual behind the online threat.
Security Response
Around 10 a.m. on Thursday, CCPO officials received information from Police Station 5, headed by Police Captain Venstine Bontilao, regarding a shooting threat posted in a Facebook group associated with the private school on Leon Kilat Street. In response, personnel from the CCPO, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit, Special Weapons and Tactics team, Traffic Management and Road Safety Unit, Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, and Barangay Pahina Central, alongside school officials, immediately conducted security inspections across the campus.
Police said all buildings and facilities were thoroughly searched, while students on campus underwent mandatory security screening. Students were also temporarily prohibited from leaving the campus until authorities completed the inspection. Following the search, authorities reported that no explosive devices or suspicious objects were found on the campus.
Classes Continue
Bontilao said he consulted with school officials on whether classes should be suspended. However, the school administration decided to continue classes, citing the heightened police presence and the completion of security checks. Oriol warned that similar incidents could encourage copycat threats and stressed that authorities are determined to hold those responsible accountable. “We will pursue criminal charges to ensure this does not happen again. We do not want this to become a model for others to follow,” Oriol said. He added that investigators have yet to determine the specific criminal charges that may be filed, as the investigation is ongoing.
School and City Government Statements
Meanwhile, CEC has issued an official statement assuring students, faculty, employees, and parents that safety and security remain its top priority. The administration said it will continue implementing heightened security measures and urged the campus community to rely only on official school announcements for verified information. Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival has urged the public to remain calm and avoid spreading unverified information following the incident at CEC. In his official statement, Archival said the safety of students, teachers, and school personnel remains the city government’s top priority. He clarified that while authorities initially received a report of a bomb threat, verification later confirmed that the incident involved a reported shooting threat made through a Facebook post. “We urge everyone to remain calm, refrain from spreading unverified information, and rely only on official advisories from the authorities. Let us continue working together to keep our community safe,” he said.
