DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Three were killed and seven others were wounded after two students allegedly opened fire inside San Jose National High School (SJNHS) in Tacloban City on Monday morning, June 22.
Fatalities were two females and one male. All were minors and students at SJNHS.
Police arrested the two suspects, both minors and students of the same school, following the incident that occurred around 9 a.m.
According to Police Regional Office 8 Director Brig. Gen. Jason Capoy, the authorities are still investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
The suspects claimed they had experienced bullying upon initial questioning, although investigators have yet to establish the motive behind the attack.
Anakbayan Southern Mindanao Region (SMR) spokesperson Fauzhea Guiani described the incident as “very concerning” and urged authorities and the public to examine the conditions affecting students.
“Ang tanong dapat dito ay bakit humantong sa ganung pag-iisip yung mga perpetrators kasi minors din sila,” Guiani said.
(The question here is why it came to that thinking among the perpetrators, since they are minors.)
“Mas dapat tingnan kung ano yung lipunan na mayroon tayo na nagwa-warrant o nag-e-enable ng ganitong thinking sa mga kabataan,” she added.
(It should be looked at more carefully what kind of society we have that warrants or enables such thinking among young people.)
Guiani said government support for young people should extend beyond physical infrastructure.
“Pondohan ang edukasyon para sa holistic development ng mga kabataan… para magkaroon ng avenue na ma-enhance nila ang kanilang interes sa sports, art, music, at iba pang mga anyo ng sining.”
(Fund education for the holistic development of young people … so they will have avenues to enhance their interests in sports, arts, music and other forms of creativity.)
She said this should also prompt discussions on the support systems available to students.
DepEd response
The Department of Education (DepEd) Regional Office 8 said it is coordinating with the Philippine National Police, the Tacloban City Schools Division Office, and school authorities following the incident.
Regional Director Salustiano Jimenez said the agency is also working with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and other partner institutions to assist affected learners and personnel.
Violence culture and mandatory ROTC
Guiani said the incident reinforces opposition to proposals seeking to make the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) mandatory.
“This makes it valid yung panawagan natin na i-abolish yung mandatory ROTC dahil yan yung mga activities na nagpe-perpetuate ng culture of violence,” she said.
(This validates our call to abolish mandatory ROTC because those are the activities that perpetuate a culture of violence.)
“Kung ngayon pa lang, wala pa namang mandatory ROTC, ganito na ang kultura ng violence na pwedeng mangyari, how much more pa kung gawin itong mandatory?”
(If even now, without mandatory ROTC, this culture of violence is possible, how much worse would it be if it were made mandatory?)
She also urged authorities to focus on rehabilitation rather than purely punitive responses.
“Hindi babaan ang edad ng juvenile delinquents kasi syempre they’re kids. Imbis na tratuhin silang mga kriminal, dapat rehabilitation.”
(Do not lower the age for juvenile delinquents because they are kids. Instead of treating them as criminals, they need rehabilitation.)
Firearm ownership traced
Meanwhile, authorities had identified the registered owners of the two firearms allegedly used in the shooting.
Police said the 9mm Glock pistol recovered from one of the suspects had been issued to a policewoman assigned to Police Regional Office 8, who was identified as the aunt of the minor.
Police also said the second weapon, a .38 caliber revolver, was registered to a private security agency based in Cebu City.
“Kailangan sasagutin at managot ang PNP kung paano napunta sa kamay ng mga kabataan ang isang government-issued na baril na dapat ginagamit sa kanilang trabaho,” Guiani said.
(The police must answer and take responsibility for how a government-issued firearm that should be used for their work ended up in the hands of young people.) davaotoday.com
