Two minors in custody after Tacloban school shooting
MANILA, Philippines — Two minors are in police custody after a school shooting in Tacloban City that left three people dead and seven others wounded, police said Monday, June 22.
In a phone patch interview with reporters, Police Brig. Gen. Jason Capoy, Eastern Visayas police director, said authorities are investigating the motive behind the attack and how the minors obtained the firearms used in the shooting.
Capoy said the suspects, aged 14 and 15, are Grade 9 students at the school and are known to be close friends.
"They belong to the same room, ng pinangyarihan po. Iisang classroom ang pinasukan," Capoy said. (They belong to the same room where it happened. They entered the same classroom.)
Because they are minors, the minors will be assisted by and turned over to the local social welfare office.
Capoy said the minors entered two different classrooms during the incident.
After gunshots were fired, students began running, and the suspects allegedly chased their targets, he said.
One suspect was immediately apprehended at the school after the incident.
The second suspect attempted to hide in a nearby house but was later caught during a follow-up operation after residents helped search for him and alerted police.
Questions on firearms
Capoy said police are investigating how the minors were able to acquire firearms and take them to the school.
Investigators recovered a Glock pistol and a .38-caliber revolver, he said.
Capoy said the school had several entrances and exits but only one security guard deployed at the guard post around 9 a.m., which may have made strict inspection of students difficult.
Police are also investigating the suspects' parents and looking into the ownership of the firearms.
"Isa sa angle na tinitingnan natin at it's proven na ano owned by personnel natin agad-agad filan po natin ang kaso po. Kakasuhan po natin yung personnel natin," Capoy said.
(One of the angles we are looking into is whether the firearms are owned by our personnel. If that is proven, we will immediately file charges against our personnel.)
Asked about the possible motive, Capoy said the minors had allegedly been bullied since they were in Grade 7.
Full probe ordered
In a separate statement, PNP chief General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. ordered a full investigation into the shooting.
"On behalf of the men and women of the PNP, I extend my sincerest condolences to the family of the victims. Words are not enough to ease the pain of your loss but we assure that we will pursue all the measures necessary in the interest of justice," Nartatez said.
"I expect a full investigation into this incident that will focus on the circumstances that led to this incident, from what prompted these minors to do this and how they were able to get these firearms," he added.
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