Zamboanga shooting: BOC relieves suspect’s father from post

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) relieved the father of the alleged Ateneo de Zamboanga University Junior High School shooting perpetrator from his post.

In a phone interview with reporters, BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno confirmed that the father served as district commander of the Port of Zamboanga Enforcement and Security Services.

“Wala naman siyang direktang kinalaman doon sa pagbaril sa kanyang anak. Sigurado, malaking trahedya ito sa kanilang pamilya (He had nothing to do with his son’s alleged shooting. This is a tragedy for their family),” Nepomuceno maintained.

READ: DILG: Suspect in Zamboanga school shooting dead

“Pero, kailangan natin i-relieve kaagad para magkaroon ng impartial investigation kung nagkaroon ba ng negligence yung tauhan namin sa pag-handle ng kanyang baril (But, we need to relieve him from his post so there can be an impartial investigation as to whether there was negligence in his handling of his firearm),” he stressed.

The alleged perpetrator, a Grade 9 student, purportedly used a pistol and a rifle to carry out the supposed attack on Tuesday morning, killing a Grade 10 student, according to Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla.

Nepomuceno said Customs officers were trying to reach the relieved personnel to coordinate with him on the investigation.

“May accountability kung sino ang inisyuhan ng baril (Those who are issued a firearm have accountability),” the Customs chief said.

“May mga training kaming binigay sa kanila kung paano nila iingatan yung baril sa opisina, during missions, sa field at sa loob ng bahay nila (We give them training sessions on how to take care of the gun in the office, during missions, on the field and in their houses),” he added.

He noted that he had ordered a “thorough review” of the Customs’ system of issuing firearms to personnel sometime two months ago in a bid to bolster gun safety.

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