Lawmakers call for probe into Tacloban City school shooting

MANILA, Philippines — Several lawmakers from the House of Representatives have called on authorities to conduct a swift and thorough investigation into the shooting at a high school in Tacloban City so that those affected can obtain justice.

According to initial reports from the police, three students were killed and five others were wounded when two suspects opened fire within the campus.

In a statement on Monday, former Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said he has directed his office to coordinate with local authorities and government agencies to identify what assistance can be provided to families affected by the shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban.

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“I am deeply saddened and heartbroken by the tragic shooting incident at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City that claimed the lives of students and left several others injured. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims, the injured students, their classmates, teachers, and the entire school community as they face this unimaginable tragedy,” Romualdez said.

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“I have directed my office to coordinate with local authorities and relevant government agencies to determine what assistance can immediately be provided to the affected families. At the same time, I call on law enforcement authorities to conduct a thorough and swift investigation so that all those responsible are held fully accountable under the law,” he added.

Tingog party-list, which originated from Eastern Visayas where Tacloban is situated, also called for a “swift and impartial investigation” into how the incident happened and how firearms slipped through security checks at the school’s entry points.

Tingog’s lawmakers in the 20th Congress are Rep. Jude Acidre and Romualdez’s wife and son, Reps. Yedda Marie Romualdez and Andrew Julian Romualdez.

“Accountability must be pursued fully, with due regard for the law and the special protections required where minors are involved,” Tingog said.

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“Beyond the immediate response, Tingog party-list supports stronger and sustained measures for safer schools: closer coordination among schools, parents, barangays, police, mental health professionals, and local government units; accessible reporting channels for threats and warning signs; strengthened school security protocols; and programs that promote peace, responsible conflict resolution, and care for the well-being of every learner,” they added.

According to the Police Regional Office–Eastern Visayas (PRO-8), both suspects — who are also students — have been arrested.

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PRO-8 director Brig. Gen. Jason Capoy told reporters that the first suspect was arrested inside the school, while the second was arrested in a nearby barangay.

He identified the two suspects as 14-year-old and 15-year-old boys, both Grade 9 students. A Glock pistol and a caliber .38 revolver were confiscated from them, Capoy added.

READ: Both suspects in Tacloban City school shooting arrested — police

Capoy said there is a possibility that both suspects were bullied since Grade 7.

READ: Tacloban City school shooting suspects may have been bullied

Senior Citizens party-list Rep. Rodolfo Ordanes said that aside from the suspects, the school principal must also be held accountable, as schools must be secure areas.

“The two suspected shooters must be swiftly charged, and the principal must be preventively suspended. This horrific incident must result in the conviction of the shooters. That the shooters were able to bring guns into the campus is a severe and gross breakdown in school safety and child protection, for which the principal is ultimately responsible,” he said.

“Murder with guns, even if committed by minors, involves adult-level conscious thinking. The suspects, if 15 or older, are not protected by the general exception under juvenile justice,” he added.

Former Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, on the other hand, said the incident underscores the need for stronger gun control policies and stricter accountability for gun owners, as one question after this is how the students were able to possess the firearms.

“I condemn in the strongest possible terms this senseless act of violence that has endangered the lives of students, teachers, and innocent civilians. Schools should be places of learning, safety, and hope — not scenes of fear and bloodshed,” Barbers said.

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“We must ask a difficult but necessary question: How are minors getting hold of firearms in the first place? Whether the weapon is licensed or not, adults who fail to secure firearms properly must be held accountable,” he added. “Gun ownership carries not only a right but a serious responsibility. If a minor gains access to a firearm because of negligence at home, there must be consequences.” /mcm