DILG Secretary Remulla Postpones France Trip Amid Banga National High School Shooting

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Saturday he will be delaying his planned trip to France for a follow up on an Interpol red notice request against former party-list lawmaker Zaldy Co, following the fatal shooting incident at Banga National High School in South Cotabato. “In light of this and other documentary requirements by Interpol, I will have to delay my trip to France by two weeks or three weeks to finish this, to finish the legislation and to finish the documentary requirements asked of me,” Remulla said at a press conference. Remulla added he will be working with the Department of Education to formulate guidelines to prevent shooting incidents in schools in the future. “So ‘yung itatanong ‘yun, hunos-dili lang kayo, let me finish my work. The President asked me to report on Monday to give the guidelines again and then we will craft with the DepEd another set of rules kung paano natin maa-avoid ito.” (For those who will be asking, calm down. Let me finish my work. The President asked me to report on Monday to give the guidelines again and then we will craft with the DepEd another set of rules on how to avoid these incidents.) Remulla was supposed to go to France for the Philippine government’s follow up on its request for an Interpol red notice against Zaldy Co. “We are filing a red notice for Zaldy Co again. Coincidentally, I will also be going to Lyon, France to follow up on his red notice with Interpol,” Remulla previously said. According to Interpol, a red notice is a request to law enforcement authorities worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action. At the same press conference, Remulla said the shooter who was behind the deadly incident at the Banga National High School in South Cotabato was into the deep dark web. Three children were confirmed to be dead, including the shooter, while eight were injured, according to the DILG chief. Remulla advised parents to check on what their children are looking up on social media, and what websites they visit. — RSJ, GMA News