DEPARTMENT of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Saturday urged parents to closely monitor their children’s internet and social media activities following the third school shooting incident in Cotabato City, which authorities linked to the suspect’s alleged access to the deep and dark web.

Speaking at a press conference at Camp Crame in Quezon City, Remulla said the 14-year-old suspect was able to secretly bring a firearm into the school. He also noted that the suspect had a history of depression.

Remulla appealed to parents to take a more active role in monitoring their children’s online activities.

“I appeal to parents to check their children’s phones and see what they are searching for. This is not a privacy issue. They are your children, and you should know what they are looking at,” Remulla said.

At around 1 p.m. on Friday, a school shooting involving a junior high school student at Banga National High School left three students dead, including the suspect. Eight other students were injured, two of whom remain in serious condition.

Remulla said suspects in previous school shooting incidents had also been linked to troubling internet activities. He warned that exposure to the dark web, particularly when combined with depression and other mental health concerns, could potentially influence vulnerable children toward violent acts.

However, the DILG chief cautioned against immediately blaming any individual or sector for the Cotabato City shooting, describing it as a tragedy involving a child who was dealing with mental health issues.

Rather than assigning blame, Remulla called for empathy for the victims and their families and urged all sectors of society to work together to prevent similar incidents.

“We should not put blame on anyone. Instead, we should have empathy and extend our condolences to those who lost their lives. We must act together as a country. This must stop. We have to act together,” he said.

Remulla also defended the efforts of barangay tanods and police officers assigned to the school, saying they had performed their duties by maintaining security around the campus and inspecting students’ bags.

He explained that conducting physical searches or frisking students could be considered intrusive and might be misunderstood.

“Everything that could be done had already been done. There was already a police officer outside, and his bag had been inspected. You can only ask for so much. Frisking a child is very unusual, intrusive, and can be misinterpreted,” Remulla said.

The DILG chief further emphasized that depression and other mental health concerns among children are realities that must be recognized and addressed in the Philippines.

He called for greater access to appropriate medical and psychiatric interventions for children experiencing mental health difficulties, stressing that protecting children and preventing similar tragedies is a shared responsibility among families, schools, communities, and the government.