MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) launched an investigation to identify the source of false claims about an alleged mass shooting at De La Salle University-Dasmariñas in Cavite and determine whether the report was deliberately fabricated.
PNP Chief, Police General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez, Jr. condemned the spread of misinformation, which apparently circulated through social media and group chats, falsely claiming that a shooting incident had occurred on campus on Oct. 1, 2026.
“We strongly condemn the irresponsible spread of fake news on social media that causes undue panic and confusion among students, parents, and the general public, and I assure everyone that our local units immediately verified these claims and found them to be completely baseless,” he said in a statement on Friday.
The Dasmariñas Component City Police Station (CCPS) immediately responded after receiving a report about the alleged mass shooting but found no factual basis to substantiate the claim.
Police, however, noted that a dead person was discovered inside a vehicle on Sept. 30 within the De La Salle Medical and Health Sciences Institute in Barangay Burol Main, although it clarified that the discovery was a separate incident and not related to the mass shooting rumor.
Police warned against posts that combined the two incidents or present the fatality as a victim of the supposed shooting.
Nartatez directed the Dasmariñas CCPS to heighten cyberpatrols and maintain police visibility while working to identify those responsible for the spread of the false report.
“Those who deliberately create or spread false information that causes public alarm may face appropriate legal consequences. Freedom of expression must be exercised responsibly and should never be used to mislead the public,” he said.
“We remind the public that sharing unverified information can have serious consequences. We encourage everyone to verify facts first and help prevent the spread of misinformation,” the PNP Chief added.
