The Philippine National Police is investigating a duplicate serial number found on two .38 pistols, with one firearm linked to the June 22, 2026, shooting at San Jose National High School.
Regional Civil Security Unit 7 confirmed the serial number corresponds to a security agency's firearm in Bohol, which police have seized for ballistic examination to compare against evidence from the shooting.
Authorities are investigating whether the duplication resulted from administrative errors, the use of a replacement firearm, or deliberate attempts to bypass registration requirements for the weapons involved.
THE Philippine National Police (PNP) is investigating how two .38 pistols appear to carry the same serial number after one of the firearms was linked to the shooting of students at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City on Monday, June 22, 2026.
The inquiry began after authorities traced the serial number of the firearm reportedly used in the attack and found that it was registered to a security agency based in Cebu City.
According to the PNP, the discovery immediately raised concerns because serial numbers are intended to uniquely identify firearms. A duplicate serial number can complicate efforts to trace a weapon’s ownership and movements.
Firearm found in Bohol
According to Regional Civil Security Unit (RCSU) 7 Chief Col. Ermer Cinco, police immediately coordinated with the security agency to verify the firearm’s records and location.
The check led investigators to Bohol, where the agency’s pistol had been assigned for security duties. A post-inspection by the RCSU 7 Bohol Field Unit found that the firearm was physically present in the province and remained in use by security personnel.
The finding created a key challenge for investigators. If the security agency’s firearm was in Bohol, police needed to determine how a gun carrying the same serial number became linked to the shooting in Tacloban.
To answer that, authorities have taken the Cebu-registered pistol for ballistic examination. Investigators will compare the results with evidence being examined by Police Regional Office 8, which is handling the Tacloban case.
Ballistic testing allows police to determine whether bullets or cartridge markings recovered from a crime scene match a specific firearm.
The comparison could help establish which weapon, if any, was used in the school shooting.
Registration irregularities
The case has also drawn attention to a concern involving firearm registration and tracking. A serial number is intended to uniquely identify a gun, making duplication highly unusual and a potential sign of irregularities.
Police are exploring several explanations.
One possibility is that an original firearm was lost and later replaced by another weapon carrying the same serial number.
Investigators are also considering whether a serial number may have been deliberately copied to bypass proper registration requirements with the PNP.
RCSU units in Central Visayas and Western Visayas have launched a deeper investigation into the apparent duplication.
The findings from the ballistic tests and records review are expected to help determine whether the issue stems from an administrative error, the use of a replacement firearm, or a more serious attempt to conceal a weapon’s identity.
For now, police said the focus is on establishing which firearm was actually used in the Tacloban shooting and how two guns came to be associated with the same serial number. / AYB
