Owner of gun used in Tacloban school shooting to face raps

CEBU, Philippines — The Department of Justice (DOJ) has recommended the filing of criminal charges against the owner of one of the firearms used in the June 22 school shooting at the San Jose National High School in Tacloban City that left three people dead and 20 others injured.

Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said Monday that the Tacloban prosecutor’s office found probable cause to charge the gun owner with criminal negligence during a congressional budget hearing. He did not identify the gun owner.

The shooting involved two students aged 14 and 15 who allegedly opened fire inside the school. Authorities said the incident was believed to have been motivated by a grudge over alleged bullying.

The 14-year-old allegedly used a 9mm pistol registered to his aunt, a policewoman, while the 15-year-old allegedly used a .38 cal. revolver registered to a Cebu-based security agency.

Vida said authorities were “seeing a pattern” in the series of school violence incidents in the country in recent months.

His statement came after a student opened fire at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University campus last August 18, killing another student before shooting himself.

Vida also raised concerns over “groomers” who allegedly target children playing online games and lure them into chat rooms where violence is amplified and encouraged.

Meanwhile, the Department of Education (DepEd) postponed the Nationwide Simultaneous School Safety Drill for Active Attack Incidents originally scheduled for Tuesday.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the postponement was made to incorporate guidance from psychosocial support experts.

“We are deferring temporarily to incorporate new suggestions,” Angara said last Monday.

DepEd said the activity will instead be held during the first week of September.

The postponement followed calls from the Philippine Psychiatric Association and Philippine Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry to defer the shooting drills, citing studies that such exercises could expose learners to hyper-realistic scenarios of violence and cause possible psychological issues.

The Philippine Pediatric Society also said evidence on children’s participation in active-attack and lockdown drills remains “limited” or “mixed.”

The Philippine National Police, meanwhile, said it was willing to participate in consultations with groups concerned about the drills.

PNP public information chief Col. Allen Rae Co also said a Cebu junior high school student who was allegedly caught carrying a gun inside his school bag had been returned to his family.

The student initially said the firearm belonged to his grandfather. He was first turned over to local social workers for intervention under Republic Act No. 9344, or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act.

Co said the student was returned to his family due to the lack of personnel and a proper facility to handle the case.

Amid the incidents, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla proposed tougher penalties for offenses involving unregistered firearms, including making such offenses non-bailable and punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

“Now, when you catch someone with loose firearms, it’s bailable. Lalabas ka lang. You have a record pero bailable, then you go to a hearing,” Remulla said in a statement Tuesday.

“I’m asking Congress to take steps to make it non-bailable and to make it (punishable by a jail term of) 20 years,” he added.

Remulla previously called on lawmakers to amend Republic Act No. 8294, also known as the “Robin Padilla Law,” to make charges involving loose firearms non-bailable.

Remulla earlier said the gun owners in the two shooting incidents could face charges for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide, which carries a penalty of up to six years in prison.

He said he expects Congress to address his proposal for tougher gun laws by January next year.

“Gun ownership also carries with it gun responsibility. The government should have the right to inspect their homes at any time and to see if the guns are in safekeeping at any time,” Remulla said.

“It is a privilege granted in the Philippines. It is a privilege, not a right,” he added.

Remulla also called on law enforcement agencies to review their firearm policies following the two school shootings.

“We have to be strict with all our policies with uniformed personnel and let them realize the gravity of the situation that’s happening,” Remulla said. — (FREEMAN)