Police assures ‘airtight’ case vs Tacloban shooting suspect

The Police Regional Office 8 has taken into custody two junior high school students allegedly involved in the shooting incident at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, on June 22, 2026. —PHOTOS FROM PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY/FACEBOOK

TACLOBAN CITY, LEYTE, Philippines — Police authorities said they have built what they consider a strong and airtight case against a 15-year-old student accused of carrying out the deadly shooting at San Jose National High School on Monday, citing witness testimonies, forensic examination results, and online conversations allegedly detailing plans for the attack.

The Philippine National Police in Eastern Visayas on Tuesday night filed criminal charges against the minor suspect, identified only as “Rod,” in connection with the June 22 shooting incident that left three students dead and 20 others injured inside the school campus.

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Lt. Col. Analiza Armeza, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office-8 (PRO-8), said investigators have gathered substantial evidence linking the suspect to the attack, including statements from witnesses, positive paraffin test results, and digital communications allegedly between Rod and his 14-year-old accomplice before the shooting.

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“We have filed the appropriate charges based on the evidence gathered during the investigation,” Armeza said.

The criminal complaint, filed through inquest proceedings before the Office of the City Prosecutor in Tacloban City, includes three counts of murder, three counts of frustrated murder, and multiple counts of serious physical injuries.

Police said the frustrated murder charges stem from the injuries sustained by three victims who suffered life-threatening gunshot wounds during the attack.

READ: Owners of guns in campus shooting also face raps

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Authorities are also examining online conversations between the two suspects in which they discussed plans to attack the school. Investigators believe these messages could further strengthen the prosecution’s case and help establish premeditation.

Police disclosed that paraffin tests conducted on both minors yielded positive results for gunpowder residue, particularly on their right hands. The firearms allegedly used in the attack also tested positive for nitrate traces, investigators said.

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READ: Slain Tacloban shooting victim hailed as ‘pride of Pampanga’

Brig. Gen. Jason Capoy, PRO-8 director, said the investigation was conducted thoroughly and in accordance with due process.

“We remain committed to establishing the truth and ensuring accountability under the law. We likewise urge the public to remain calm, verify information, refrain from spreading unverified reports, and promptly report any suspicious activity to authorities,” Capoy said in a statement.

However, police said the 14-year-old suspect cannot be held criminally liable under Republic Act 9344, or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act.

Under the law, children below 15 years old are exempt from criminal liability and are instead subjected to intervention and rehabilitation programs supervised by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

“The 14-year-old suspect has already been turned over to the DSWD for the appropriate intervention measures required by law,” Armeza said.

The filing of charges came two days after what authorities described as the deadliest school-related attack in Eastern Visayas, if not in the country.

Killed in the shooting were Joyancee Separa, 15, a Grade 10 student, Nicole Daza, 14, a Grade 9 student, and Chris Lorenz Fabian, 15, also a Grade 10 student.

Fabian has since been hailed as a hero after witnesses said he attempted to lock a classroom door to protect his classmates from the gunmen. He was reportedly shot while trying to stop one of the attackers from entering the room, allowing many of his fellow students to survive, including their teacher who was also inside at that time of the shooting incident.

The attack also injured 20 other individuals, with 15 sustaining gunshot wounds while five others suffered injuries during the panic and stampede that followed the shooting.

As the criminal case moves to the prosecution stage, authorities continue to investigate the motive behind the attack, while schools across Tacloban City have implemented heightened security measures following the tragedy.

Meantime, Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez asked the public to remain calm but vigilant following the incident, which he himself described as “shocking” and “traumatic.”

“We will get to the bottom of this as fast as we can so that we can move on and create better policy and some plans and programs for our children so that they can be safe. Marami ng trahedya na tumama dito sa (We have faced many tragedies here in) Tacloban and we always bounce back stronger,” he said.

“This is a very serious thing that happened here and we are not taking this sitting down,” the city mayor said.

Romualdez had met the families of the three slain students and offered his condolences and assured them of assistance from the city government.

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On Wednesday, schools in the city went back to classes, except for three, amid heightened security. /cb