MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) is working with the Philippine National Police to probe the death of two students of Signal Village National High School in Taguig City.
“The DepEd fully commits to cooperate with the PNP Taguig regarding this matter, and is committed toward the swift and expeditious conduct of the ongoing investigation,” DepEd said in a statement on Saturday.
“We express our deepest sympathies to the families. The loss of young lives is a devastating blow to any community,” DepEd said, as it appealed to the public to respect the privacy of the victims’ grieving families.
According to the Taguig police, initial evidence showed that there was no foul play in the deaths of the two female high school students.
Based on a report, the victims were found dead around 11 p.m. on Friday, inside the Girls Scout Mini Office on the third floor of the Magsaysay Building of the school.
The Schools Division of Taguig City and Pateros, for its part, said it was closely working with the local government of Taguig City and the regional and central office of DepEd for the provision of psychological first aid to teachers, learners, and nonteaching personnel of the school concerned starting Monday.
“This office also commits to intensify its efforts to closely monitor all schools and carry out preventive measures for this tragic incident not to happen again with the support of our partners,” the schools division said.
Meanwhile, Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano directed authorities to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the tragic event.
“The city government assures the grieving families of its full support as they struggle to comprehend this inexplicable misfortune,” she said in a statement.