Tacloban City school shooting planned weeks before, says police

MANILA, Philippines — The shooting incident inside a Tacloban City high school was planned by the assailants weeks prior to the incident, according to the Police Regional Office Eastern Visayas (PRO 8).

The perpetrators, two male Grade 9 students aged 14 and 15, opened fire inside the San Jose National High School premises on Monday morning, killing at least three students and injuring several others.

“Based on our information, as early as May 1, if I’m not mistaken. They’ve been planning this since April or May,” PRO 8 director Brig. Gen. Jason Capoy told reporters in a phone interview.

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READ: Guns in Tacloban shooting belong to suspect’s cop aunt, security agency

He also addressed but neither confirmed nor denied rumors circulating online that the two suspects had coordinated how to sneak their guns into the school; and were supposedly aware of the provisions of Republic Act No. 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act.

“It’s worrisome because it seems they know a lot. They’ve studied it. They’ve read the law,” Capoy added. /gsg

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