'Third party' in friendship of 2 teens in mall shooting won't talk

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Philippines – The “third party” in the friendship between two boys aged 13 and 16 involved in a fatal shooting incident in a shopping mall in this province last Tuesday, has refused to cooperate with the police.

Senior Superintendent Edgar Tinio, Pampanga police director, said investigators have contacted the third party, another boy, but he refused to shed light on the incident.

The 13-year-old shot the 16-year-old with a homemade caliber .22 and turned the gun on himself. Both were declared brain dead with bullet wounds in the head, and died on consecutive days.

The 13-year-old was buried in Mariveles, Bataan on Friday, and the 16-year-old in Baliuag, Bulacan the following day. 

Tinio said the third party, who also hails from Bulacan, posted cursing words against the 13-year-old on his Facebook account on the day of the shooting but these were deleted that same night.

The two earlier had traded bitter messages also on Facebook, police said.

A suicide note found in the bag of the 13-year-old indicated that what happened was a crime of passion and of a personal nature, police said.

Tinio said investigators were still establishing ownership of the caliber .22 and would file charges once enough evidence is gathered.