Tacloban school shooting suspects under intensive interventions – DSWD

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is providing intensive interventions to the two detained minors involved in the recent school shooting in Tacloban City, Leyte.

In a media forum on Thursday, Assistant Secretary Ada Colico of the agency’s Protective Programs said the two minors are currently under the care of a DSWD-managed Regional Rehabilitation Center for Youth (RRCY), where they are receiving specialized and closely monitored interventions.

She said the two minors are placed in separate rooms and not allowed to mingle with the other residents of the RRCY.

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“Mayroon silang exclusive na house parent and exclusive psychologist na talagang nakatutok sa kanila. Regularly silang kinakausap, even yung case manager nila na social worker,” Colico told reporters.

(They have exclusive house parents, and exclusive psychologists really focused on them. They talk to them regularly, even the social worker who serves as their case manager.)

“Sa ngayon hindi pa po (sila nakakalabas sa kanilang room) and then wala rin po silang communication pa sa parents,” she added.

(They still haven’t gone out of their room and haven’t spoken to their parents.)

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The DSWD official, however, emphasized that all information concerning the minors remains confidential in accordance with the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act.

“All information about sa ating mga client is confidential, hindi pa po natin puwedeng i-divulge. Ang masasabi lang po natin ay ongoing pa rin po ang kanilang psychological assessment,” she said.

(All information about our clients is confidential and we cannot divulge it yet. All I can say is psychological assessments are still ongoing.)

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The DSWD official added that the agency has yet to determine when the children’s parents may be allowed to visit, stressing that such decisions will depend entirely on professional assessments.

Colico said each child has a specific individual intervention plan, such as therapeutic interventions, rehabilitation, and medical needs.

She also stressed that rehabilitation extends beyond the child and requires the active participation of the family through a holistic and total family approach.

“Isa sa crucial part ng rehabilitation ng bata is yung participation ng family, kasi itong support na ito ay importante in rehabilitating yung ating mga CICL (child in conflict with the law). Ito po ay tinatawag nating holistic approach at total family approach. Kasi sinasabi po natin, yung bata ay hindi naman makaka-commit ng crime solely by himself or herself, kundi by many factors,” she said.

(One of the crucial parts of rehabilitation is family participation; this support is important in rehabilitating the CICLs. This is what they call the holistic approach and the total family approach. As we say beforehand, the child cannot commit a crime solely by himself or herself, but through a lot of factors.)

The DSWD official noted that parenting, home environment, and peer influence are among the factors considered during rehabilitation.

When asked about the possible influence of video games and online content, the DSWD official said experts recognize that these may contribute to children’s behavior, but she emphasized that they should not be viewed in isolation.

The DSWD official stressed that professional assessments, not self-declaration from the CICLs, determine whether a child is ready to return to the community.

Beyond residential care, the department continues to strengthen community-based interventions aimed at preventing children from committing offenses.

“We are strengthening the responsibilities of the parents; we are strengthening the prevention of these crimes at the community level. And then mayroon din po tayong (we also have the) Parent Effectiveness Services, which are community-based programs,” she said.

Other countries’ approach

The Department of Justice (DOJ) said it will study other countries’ approaches in addressing Nihilist Violent Extremism (NVE) that, authorities said, might have led to Tacloban shooting incident.

“Yung mga ibang bansa na pinagdadaanan din ng problema na ito, ginagamit nila ang terrorism framework nila upang panagutin ang mga perpetrators behind this,” Undersecretary Nicholas Ty said in a press conference Thursday.

(Other countries that experience this kind of problem, they used their terrorism framework to hold the perpetrators behind it accountable.)

“But nasabi din namin kaapon na kailangan pag-aralan ng mabuti ito at mag-ingat dahil alam naman natin kung gaano ka-controversial ang definition ng terrorism,” he added.

(But we also mentioned yesterday that this needs to be studied carefully and approached with caution, given how controversial the definition of terrorism is.)

In the absence of laws tackling NVE, he said the DOJ will use the existing laws to hold the minor perpetrators accountable for the death of three students. (with a report from Benjamin Pulta/PNA)

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