Philippines foils second high school attack in Leyte after senator's tip

Philippine authorities successfully foiled another possible school attack in Leyte province just two days after Monday’s deadly shooting in Tacloban City, thanks to a timely tip from Senator Bam Aquino. The senator informed Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla of the threat on Wednesday night, prompting an immediate investigation. Remulla told the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, which traced the threat to a 14-year-old student at Tolosa National High School. The girl was arrested by 11pm that day. Investigation revealed she created multiple Facebook accounts to disseminate content that spread across social media, alarming students, parents and the public. One post read: 'Prepare yourselves, especially you, as you owe me. Get ready. I will disrupt the school. You won’t know me, but you will recognise me. There’s no time, no day. Be prepared for whoever gets shot or stabbed.' The Grade 10 student deleted the posts after being contacted by authorities.

As she was below 15 years old, she was not remanded in jail but sent instead to the Department of Social Welfare and Development. The incident marks the second school threat in Leyte in days, following a shooting incident on Monday at San Jose National High School in Tacloban that killed three students. The swift response by authorities highlights the importance of tip-offs and social media monitoring in preventing potential tragedies. The case also raises questions about juvenile accountability and mental health support for minors involved in such threats.