President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has directed authorities to immediately determine the cause of the series of recent violent attacks in schools as such incidents are unacceptable.
Palace Press Officer Usec. Claire Castro said this in a press briefing on Thursday, noting that the President was “heartbroken” upon learning of the shooting incident at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City which left three students dead.
The Department of Education (DepEd) on Thursday maintained that the Tacloban shooting and other recent incidents of violence involving students remain isolated cases, but acknowledged the need for stricter implementation of school safety policies and closer collaboration with parents to prevent similar episodes in the future.
During an interview on GMA’s “Unang Hirit,” DepEd Undersecretary Malcolm Garma said the department has already started reviewing and reinforcing security measures following the deadly shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Thursday he will recommend changes to the country’s firearms laws to impose criminal liability on gun owners whose licensed firearms are used by others to commit crimes, following the deadly school shooting in Tacloban City.
Remulla said current laws leave a gap in accountability even when a licensed firearm ends up in the hands of another person and is used in a crime.
“Sa nangyari dito, wala kaming ma-charge dahil bitin ang batas (In this case, we could not file charges because the law is insufficient),” Remulla said at a press briefing in Camp Crame.
“Kailangan may criminal liability yung mga taong ito (These people should have criminal liability),” he added.
Authorities prevented another possible planned attack in a school in Leyte after Senator Bam Aquino alerted the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) about an online threat following Monday’s deadly shooting in Tacloban City.
During a press briefing Thursday, DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Aquino called him around 8 p.m. Wednesday to relay information about an alleged impending attack.
“At 8 o’clock PM last night, Senator Bam Aquino called me. And to my estimation, he was in Tacloban,” Remulla said.
“He gave me a tip na sabi niya may chatter daw sa Tacloban na meron pang isang impending mass shooting na mangyayari sa Leyte,” he added.
(He gave me a tip that there was chatter in Tacloban about another impending mass shooting that could happen in Leyte.)
Remulla said he immediately referred the information to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), which launched an investigation.
According to the DILG chief, the threat was directed towards Tolosa National High School in Leyte.
“The suspect is accused of planning a mass shooting or stabbing aimed at the school students,” he said, citing the CIDG report.
Authorities traced the threat to a 14-year-old Grade 10 girl student who created multiple Facebook accounts and posted messages warning of a possible attack.
“The threat appears to be neutralized and inactive. No evidence of an organized plan or involvement of others was found, and neither [she] nor her family had access to firearms,” he said, citing the investigation.
A fireman, who was among the people who arrested the 15-year-old shooter at the San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, said the suspect asked whether he would be jailed after he and a 14-year-old shot up the school, killing three and wounding 20 others.
According to Emil Sumangil’s report on “24 Oras,” FO2 Ludwig Zosa was passing by when he saw crying children leaving the school.
The minors, he said, told him there had been a shooting and that people inside were wounded.
Zosa said one child held his hand and, in the Waray language, identified the 15-year-old shooter.
He said the suspect mingled with the rest of his schoolmates who were leaving the premises. The suspect even put his arm on the shoulder of a girl, who was a bit shorter than he was.
Zosa said he didn’t make any sudden move and waited for the shooter to turn his back before going after him.
When civilians grabbed the 15-year-old, he asked, “Makukulong ba ‘ko? Mape-preso ba ‘ko?”
(Will I be detained? Will I be thrown in prison?)
The two minors accused in the deadly school shooting in Tacloban City were described by neighbors, former classmates, and a teacher as quiet youths with no known history of causing trouble.
The neighbors of the 14-year-old suspect said they were shocked after seeing TV reports linking him to Monday’s shooting.
“Hindi talaga namin akalain ang mga gawa niya,” one neighbor said in an interview with Emil Sumangil on “24 Oras.”
(We never imagined he was capable of doing something like that.)
The mother of a female student who was killed in the shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City is calling for the two young suspects to be held accountable, saying they should face punishment despite being minors.
In an interview aired on GMA Integrated News’ 24 Oras, Jennylyn Badoria, mother of Joyancee Separa, said she wants justice for her late daughter.
“Gusto ko po silang makulong kahit menor de edad pa po, pero sanay na sanay na yung gumamit ng baril eh. So gusto ko pong makulong yun sa karapat dapat na parusa para sa kanila, kahit menor de edad po sila,” Badoria said.
(I want them jailed even if they are minors, because they already seem very used to handling guns. I want them to face the punishment they deserve, even if they are minors.)
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