Police are investigating the possibility that the serial number of a .38 caliber revolver used in the shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City on Monday was duplicated. The firearm is registered to a security agency based in Cebu City. The attack killed three students and injured over 20 others.
Gun Found in Bohol While Same Serial Number Used in Tacloban
According to Police Colonel Elmer Cinco, regional chief of the Regional Civil Security Unit (RCSU)-7, upon receiving information about the serial number and the registered security agency, they immediately coordinated with the agency. They discovered that a firearm with the same serial number as the one used in the Tacloban shooting was actually deployed with a security guard in Bohol province.
The RCSU-Bohol Field Unit conducted a post-to-post inspection and confirmed that the firearm was indeed in Bohol and still being used by a guard. The RCSU-7 confiscated the weapon for ballistic examination at the PNP Regional Forensic Unit-7. The results will be compared with the ballistic examination conducted by the Police Regional Office (PRO)-8 to determine if the two firearms are connected and to identify which one is original.
Investigation into Duplicate Serial Numbers
The RCSU-7 has launched its own investigation, along with the RCSU-Western Visayas, to determine why there are two firearms with the same serial number. “We verified it. We went to the agency and spoke with their operations officer. They said the gun with that serial number is theirs, but it is deployed somewhere in Bohol and held by their guard. We conducted a post-to-post inspection and confirmed that the firearm was there,” Cinco said.
He added that several possibilities are being examined. It is possible that the original firearm was lost and replaced with another gun that was given the same serial number. It is also possible that there was an intentional duplication of the serial number to avoid the cost of firearm registration.
Suspect's Grandfather a Security Guard
Cinco further stated that, based on the investigation by the Tacloban City police, the suspect's grandfather is a security guard who allegedly used the .38 revolver in the crime. However, it has not yet been confirmed whether this is connected to the Cebu-based security agency where the serial number is registered.
Tighter Inspections in Schools
Following the bloody incident at San Jose National High School, the RCSU-7 has tightened inspections of security guards deployed in schools in the region. They are checking the service firearms of guards and their readiness to handle possible emergencies to ensure the safety of students and school staff.
