(UPDATE) TACLOBAN CITY — Three teenage students were killed and seven others were wounded after a shooting inside San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, Leyte, at around 9 a.m. Monday.
Police said one suspect, a 15-year-old Grade 9 student, was taken into custody while another 14-year-old suspect later surrendered to the authorities. The two were described as “very close friends.” Videos circulating online showed students and teachers running from the campus in panic, with some students carrying an injured female classmate to safety while others cried and screamed, hiding inside a classroom as gunfire erupted inside the school.
Tacloban police said anger over bullying was a possible motive.
Police BGen. Jason Capoy said in a phone interview that both suspects were Grade 9 students from the same school, and that interviews with teachers and school officials said they had been bullied since Grade 7.
Initial investigation showed that the supposed targets of the shooters were not among the victims, who were mostly female students.
The shooters were caught in possession of a A Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol and a.38 revolver, contrary to earlier claims that they fired long firearms. Investigators are determining how they got hold of the guns.
One possibility is that they obtained the guns from parents or any close relative that was in law enforcement. If this is proven true, charges would be brought immediately against the police personnel involved, Capoy said.
Asked how the students were able to sneak the firearms inside the school, Capoy said the school has many entrances and exits and only one security guard was employed.
Police said the suspects ran into two separate classrooms during the rampage.
Thorough investigation
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered a thorough investigation into the school shooting and directed authorities to strengthen security measures, particularly in schools.
“The president is saddened by the incident. Anyone, especially the parents of the victims, will feel the sadness and fear,” Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro said in Filipino.
Marcos tasked authorities to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the incident to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting, she added.
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. ordered an all-out investigation to come up with measures to prevent a repeat of Monday’s shooting in any school.
The Tacloban City Police Office condemned the violence and said it is conducting “an extensive investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident, identify all persons involved, and establish the motive behind this unfortunate event.” The police also appealed to the public to remain calm, refrain from spreading unverified information, and cooperate with authorities by providing information that may aid the ongoing investigation.
Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez said he was “deeply saddened and heartbroken” by the tragedy and directed his office to coordinate with local authorities and government agencies to determine what assistance can immediately be provided to the affected families.
“A school should always be a place of learning, safety, and hope, and no parent should have to endure the pain of losing a child in a place where they are supposed to be protected,” Romualdez said.
Tingog Party-list said it is already coordinating with hospitals, the Tacloban City government, the Department of Education, and national agencies to ensure that the injured students receive medical assistance, including hospitalization, medicines, transportation, and other immediate expenses.
The Department of Education (DepEd) condemned the shooting, calling it “a high-alert situation.” “We strongly condemn this act of violence and extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims, as well as our earnest prayers for the swift recovery of those who were injured,” the DepEd said in a statement.
It said that its central office officials, with regional and division office staff, were on the ground and coordinating closely with school authorities and law enforcement to ensure safety.
The DepEd said it was working with the Department of Social Welfare and Development and other government agencies to deploy medical assistance and psychosocial interventions for learners and staff.
Alarm and outrage
Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian said he was “deeply alarmed and outraged” by the shooting and called on DepEd to strengthen security measures across all campusis.
Sens. JV Ejercito, Bong Go, Robinhood Padilla, Francis Pangilinan and Camille Villar on Monday echoed Gatchalian’s concern over recent violence in schools.
Ejercito raised the need to further strengthen the campaign against loose firearms adding that schools “should be safe spaces for learning.” “Gun ownership carries with it a responsibility. Firearms do not simply end up in the hands of a minor if they are kept by a responsible owner,” Ejercito said in a statement.
He asked the Philippine National Police to file charges against the firearm owner.
“This kind of violence is unacceptable in schools which should serve as safe spaces,” Gatchalian said in Filipino.
Villar added, “We should not allow violence to steal the future of our children.”
Poor impulse control
Adolescent health specialist Dr. Rajami Malibago told The Manila Times several factors may contribute to mass shootings involving teenagers, noting that “the brain of teenagers is not fully developed,” particularly the prefrontal cortex that regulates emotions and impulse control.
Malibago said bullying, school pressure, and other social factors could trigger emotionally driven actions among adolescents, underscoring the need for stronger mental health interventions and early support systems for young people.
Under the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act, a minor aged 15 and below who has committed a crime is generally exempt from criminal liability and is immediately released to his parents, guardians, or the local social welfare and development office.
However this only applies to minors without discernment, or an understanding of the moral and legal consequences of their actions and knowing the difference between right and wrong. If discernment is present, the suspects will be subject to formal court proceedings, and if found guilty, will face a suspended sentence and be sent to a youth care facility, such as a Bahay Pag-asa. WITH NESTOR ABREMATEA, KRISTINA MARALIT, BERNADETTE TAMAYO, REINA TOLENTINO
