Tacloban school shooting: Gov’t moves to aid victims, probe launched

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Government officials have moved to provide assistance to victims and order a thorough investigation into the deadly shooting at a public high school in Tacloban City that left three people dead and seven others injured on Monday, June 22.

The shooting occurred at around 9 a.m. inside the campus of San Jose National High School in Barangay San Jose.

Per recent updates on the shooting, authorities in Tacloban City confirmed that the two suspects, both students of the same school and minors, are already in police custody.

One suspect, a child in conflict with the law (CICL), was immediately apprehended, while the second suspect was taken into custody later following hot pursuit and manhunt operations.

Police said the identities of the two minors are being withheld in accordance with Republic Act No. 9344, or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006, as amended.

The two are expected to be referred to the Tacloban City Social Welfare and Development Office, with authorities saying child-sensitive procedures and legal safeguards are being observed.

3 dead, seven wounded in Tacloban shooting

According to the Tacloban City Police Office’s updates, the shooting left three people dead and seven others injured.

The wounded victims were immediately brought to nearby hospitals and medical facilities for treatment.

Police have yet to release the identities of the victims pending notification of their families.

Investigators are still determining the motive behind the attack and the relationship between the suspects and the victims.

Palace orders probe Tacloban school shooting

Malacañang on Monday ordered a thorough investigation into the incident and directed authorities to ensure safety in schools and other public places.

“Kinakalungkot ng Pangulo ang pangyayari. Kahit sino pa man lalo na ang mga magulang ng mga nabiktima ay makakaramdam ng lungkot at takot,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in a Viber message. (The president is saddened by the incident. Anyone, especially the parents of the victims, would feel sadness and fear.)

“Iniuutos ang malalimang pag-iimbestiga rito at pinapasiguro ng proteksyon at kaligtasan sa lahat ng lugar, opisina, establisyimento, lalong-lalo na sa mga paaralan,” Castro added. (A probe into this matter has been ordered, and the protection and safety of all areas, offices, and establishments, especially schools, are being ensured.)

READ: Tacloban school shooting: Teachers, students help stop suspect

Education officials head to Tacloban

Education Secretary Sonny Angara said he and other officials from the Department of Education were on their way to Tacloban City to assist those affected by the tragedy.

In a social media post, Angara expressed condolences to the families of the three students who were killed.

“Nakikiramay po kami sa pamilya at kasama ng tatlong estudyanteng pinatay sa San Jose, Tacloban. Papunta na po kami ng aming mga Usec at Asec para tumulong sa mga apektado, lalo na sa mga naospital,” he said.

READ: Tacloban City school shooting: 3 killed, 7 wounded, 2 suspects caught

Padilla revives call to amend law

The incident also prompted Senator Robin Padilla to renew his call to amend the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act.

In a social media post, Padilla raised the possibility of convening a special session to tackle the measure.

“Sunod-sunod na po ito. May hold-up, may rape, ngayon pamamaril sa paaralan. Ano po ba hinihintay ng mga kasama nating mga senador?” Padilla said.

The senator lamented what he described as the lack of urgency given to the proposal and expressed hope that lawmakers would act more quickly on the measure.

Group denies ties with suspect

Meanwhile, Kabalikat Civicom 144 Chapter–Tacloban City clarified that one of the suspects was never an official member of its youth organization.

In a statement, the group said the suspect had only applied for membership and attended an orientation but failed to proceed with the required interview and assessment.

“As such, he was never admitted nor recognized as a member of the Kabalikat Civicom Youth,” the organization said.

The group added that the suspect’s use of its name, logo, symbols, uniforms, and related images on social media was unauthorized and misleading.

READ: LOOK: Police secure crime scene after Tacloban school shooting

Police said an in-depth investigation is ongoing to establish the motive and circumstances behind the shooting, while authorities continue to coordinate with school officials, local government units, and other agencies to provide assistance to the victims and their families and strengthen security measures.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.

Your subscription has been successful.

Read Next

Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Cebudailynews. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.