18/09/2026
Baguio school reviews safety after Grade 8 learner found with unserviceable .38 firearm.
Courtesy: Mountain Beacon
Baguio school reviews safety after Grade 8 learner found with unserviceable .38 firearm
Mia Magdalena Fokno | September 18, 2026
BAGUIO CITY — Police and education officials are investigating how an unserviceable .38-caliber revolver with no ammunition reached a 13-year-old Grade 8 learner at Lucban Integrated School, while authorities trace the firearm’s ownership and determine whether anyone may be held legally responsible.
The firearm has been turned over to police. Affected learners were given psychological first aid when they returned to school the following day, while the Grade 8 learner involved has been referred to the Department of Social Welfare and Development and has not yet returned to school.
Officials disclosed the details during a press conference at the school in Barangay Camdas on Friday, September 18, two days after the incident.
Baguio City Police Office Director Police Colonel Nixon Laoyan confirmed that police have custody of the revolver.
Police Major Joshua Mateo, commander of BCPO Police Station 2, said investigators are verifying its ownership, identifying details, and the circumstances surrounding how it reached the learner.
Laoyan said the firearm has not been traced to a police officer or other uniformed personnel.
Mateo said police are also determining whether the findings warrant the filing of a case and against whom. No specific charge or respondent has been announced.
School Head Felto Agpawa said he learned about the incident at around 12:40 p.m. on September 16 after receiving information through a parent’s text message.
The school then began verifying what happened, spoke with learners, and coordinated with Police Station 2.
When affected learners returned the next day, Agpawa said they were given psychological first aid and assessed for possible further psychosocial intervention.
The Grade 8 learner involved was referred to the DSWD for case management.
School officials did not identify any of the minors involved and appealed to the public to protect their privacy.
Authorities have not yet released a complete account of where and how the firearm figured in the incident, saying those details are still being established.
The Department of Education is conducting a separate inquiry under its child-protection procedures. Education officials said the school is being given time to establish the facts before making findings or recommending possible administrative action.
Schools Division Superintendent Soraya Faculo said the safety and welfare of learners remain DepEd’s primary concern.
Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong has been informed of the incident and is coordinating with Faculo and the BCPO as authorities review the case and possible additional safety measures.
Lucban Integrated School serves 2,399 learners from Kindergarten to Grade 8. Classes have continued.
The incident has also raised questions about how quickly learners can report serious safety concerns and how existing security measures are being implemented.
Officials acknowledged that information about the incident reached the principal through a parent rather than being immediately reported by a learner to a teacher or school administrator.
DepEd officials said schools regularly conduct information campaigns on bullying, threats, and other safety concerns, but reporting mechanisms can still be strengthened.
Education Program Supervisor and Division Public Assistance Coordinator Jerry Ymson said the Schools Division Office is working with the local government, police, child-protection bodies, and other partners to improve coordination and reporting systems.
Officials also discussed whether Baguio’s Unified 911 service could eventually form part of a more coordinated reporting mechanism for school-related emergencies and safety concerns. No new system has yet been adopted.
Lucban Integrated School has a single entrance and exit point. Agpawa said one female security guard was on duty, and a handheld metal detector is used at the gate.
Police and school officials are reviewing how those measures are being implemented, along with police visibility around the campus, supervision during recess and lunch, and other entry procedures.
School officials said more extensive searches of learners’ belongings would first have to be studied within DepEd rules and safeguards for children’s rights.
PTA President Manny Jun Lardizabal said parents are willing to assist through volunteer duty during busy periods such as recess and lunch.
Police said their initial assessment had not established a security lapse.
Authorities also reminded firearm owners to secure their weapons and ensure that children cannot gain access to them.
Officials urged parents and the public to avoid speculation about the minors involved and refrain from circulating unverified claims while police and DepEd complete their investigations.
This is a developing story.
Photos by Mia Magdalena Fokno
