2 teenagers found dead inside Taguig school

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 11) --- Two high school students were found dead inside a school in Taguig City on Friday, with authorities suspecting they took their own lives.

The victims were Grade 8 and Grade 10 students at Signal Village National High School (SVNHS), the Southern Police District said in its report.

The witness, identified by police as “Danielle,” said the two teenagers were last seen alive at 7:45 p.m. on Nov. 10.

It was later learned in their group chat that the two did not go home that night.

“Danielle” immediately looked for the two and found their bodies in a school office at 11 p.m., the police report said.

Meanwhile, the cousin of the Grade 8 student victim pleaded to teachers and classmates to “come forward and tell the truth.”

In a Facebook post on Saturday, the cousin said the school was “uncooperative” and that there was no CCTV available inside the campus.

She added that they are still waiting for the autopsy results as of this writing.

The Philippine National Police-Taguig (PNP-Taguig) said that based on the initial evidence gathered there was no indication of foul play.

They asked the public to refrain from making speculations.

The Department of Education (DepEd) expressed sadness over the loss of the two students and conveyed condolences to the bereaved families.

«The DepEd fully commits to cooperate with the PNP Taguig regarding this matter, and is committed towards the swift and expeditious conduct of the ongoing investigation,» it said on Saturday night.

The Taguig City local government unit, on the other hand, said that the re-training of volunteers for the city's “Helping Others find Peace and Encouragement (HOPE) Program" is ongoing.

Mayor Lani Cayetano said counselors, psychiatrists, and psychologists will be sent to the SVNHS.

She added that Taguig residents may also reach out to the Taguig Mental Health Teleconsultation Hotline (0929-521-8373).

If you or someone you care about might need help dealing with mental health, the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) crisis hotlines can be reached at 1553 (nationwide landline toll-free), 0917-899-8727, 0966-351-4518, and 0908-639-2672.