LEAKED alleged chats between the minor suspects in the San Jose National High School shooting in Tacloban, Leyte, circulated rapidly on the internet Tuesday and showed the two shooters planned the attack over a month ahead and researched juvenile justice laws and believed they would be exempt from criminal liability.
“Screenshots of the text messages spread so fast,” BGen Jason Capoy, Police Regional Office 8 regional director, said in Filipino.
He said their investigation so far suggested that the two had indeed planned the shooting, and even did research on the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act to see what it says about minors who are involved in crimes.
The screenshots showed that the two talked casually about committing the crime, and were relieved that the law spares minors from criminal liability.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) earlier said initial investigation suggested that the suspects were victims of bullying since Grade 7. Their bullies, however, were not among the victims.
The PNP said the 14-year-old suspect gained access to his gun, a Glock 9mm pistol, from an aunt who was an active police officer while the other’s weapon, a.38 revolver, was registered as a service firearm from a security agency. The 14-year-old suspect’s aunt has been relieved and an administrative investigation is underway.
Three victims died while 20 were injured in the school shooting Monday. Forty shells were recovered at the crime scene.
Gorebox addict
Capoy said one of the suspects was addicted to Gorebox, a violent online game.
“It is a shooting game. There are firearms there. The game is rather violent,” he added.
A background check on the boy’s social media account revealed that he made numerous violent posts prior to the incident.
Among the posts he made was a video of him at a firing range doing target shooting.
But Capoy said although the boy had been to a firing range, he was not a good shot.
“He’s not that good to be considered an expert but he knew how to release and load magazines,” Capoy said.
Palace open to law review
In the wake of Monday’s shooting, Malacañang said it believes there is a need to study proposed amendments to Republic Act 9344, or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006, particularly proposals to lower the age of criminal liability of minors.
In a Palace briefing, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro said enacting changes to the legislation would depend on the version that would be submitted to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Earlier, the PNP said it supports Sen. Robinhood Padilla’s proposal to revisit the law and stated they want the age of criminal responsibility lowered from 15 to 12 years old.
Castro said this was “reasonable.”
“If this is good for our youth and for the implementation of our law, the president will agree to that,” she said in Filipino.
“Nothing has been discussed about the age yet, but what we are saying is that whatever version Congress can provide, the president will look into it. But as far as we know, yes, the president is open to lowering the age,” she added.
In the same briefing, PNP spokesman Col. Allen Rae Co said they are pushing for an amendment to RA 9344 because more minors were committing crimes.
Unlike in other countries, minors who commit heinous crimes in the Philippines cannot be tried as adults.
Banning violent online games
Castro said the president is also open to proposals to ban violent online games.
“It was reported that these children are addicted to playing violent online games. It was discussed that those kinds of apps should be banned in the Philippines. So that’s a good suggestion,” Castro said during the press conference.
“We hope that a measure will be crafted soon and the president is open to such proposals,” she added.
The Palace official said the administration was open to legislative measures that would regulate access to violent online content, particularly among minors.
Castro also said that lawmakers may move quickly to study possible restrictions in light of the incident.
In related developments, Sen. Risa Hontiveros said the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality will conduct an investigation on the Tacloban shooting incident and the growing threat of online radicalization among children on July 1. The senator, who chairs the committee, said the public hearing follows the panel’s April 14 inquiry which showed that online platforms and gaming spaces are allegedly being used to groom, manipulate, and radicalize children into violence.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the deadly shooting highlights the need to address not only security concerns but also the mental health and social environment affecting Filipino youth. Angara said the Department of Education is closely reviewing the incident, noting that it was one of three school violence cases reported nationwide within less than a week. “We are seeing a generation that often seeks validation through social media, and sometimes the desire for attention and recognition can lead young people to do unusual or harmful things,” he said.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) continued to provide psychosocial interventions and financial assistance to survivors and families affected by the shooting. The agency said social workers have administered psychological first aid to students, parents, and other affected individuals to help them cope with the trauma caused by the incident. The DSWD has also released P100,000 in financial assistance to nine injured individuals and P10,000 each to the families of the three fatalities through its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program.
Muntinlupa City Mayor Ruffy Biazon warned that the country should treat “nihilistic violent extremism” as a clear and present danger, following the first reported indiscriminate mass shooting in a Philippine school in Tacloban, which he said showed the possible influence of online platforms on young people. Biazon said the incident was a manifestation of the emergence of nihilistic violent extremism, which intelligence and security agencies have been monitoring in recent years.