DepEd calls for responsible online sharing following Zamboanga school shooting

Abi Sarabia M., Philippine Canadian Inquirer
August 19, 2026

Photo courtesy: Philippine News Agency

The Department of Education (DepEd) is asking the media, content creators, and the public to exercise restraint in sharing sensitive material related to a shooting at Ateneo de Zamboanga University’s Junior High School campus, which left a student and a minor in conflict with the law dead on Tuesday morning.

DepEd urged everyone to prioritize the well-being of the affected school community over online engagement, asking that videos, photos, and other sensitive content showing the incident or its aftermath not be posted, shared, or amplified. 

The agency warned that circulating such material could deepen the trauma already being felt by students, staff, and families connected to the university.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the minors involved, along with their grieving families, are entitled to privacy and dignity as they cope with the tragedy. 

He also spoke as a parent, saying his sympathies extend to the families, teachers, and learners who lived through the incident.

DepEd further cautioned against spreading unverified information while law enforcement continues its investigation into the shooting. 

The agency has also committed to providing psychological first aid and ongoing psychosocial support to the learners, personnel, and families affected.

For members of the Filipino diaspora following the story from abroad, the appeal serves as a reminder that the instinct to share breaking news quickly can come at a cost to the people directly living through it.