The Philippine National Police (PNP) has recommended the filing of criminal cases against one of the shooters in relation to a gun attack inside a school in Tacloban City that left three students dead and 20 others injured.

 PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez, Jr. said the case referral was only for the 15-year old shooter, and that investigation is continuously being conducted for the other shooter and other persons that may be found liable in the gun attack. 

“The case was referred to the prosecution for review. The case is related to the death of three and multiple frustrated deaths of several others,” said Nartatez.

The legal challenge is on the aspect of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006, or the Republic Act No. 9344, which focuses on the handling of minors who violated the law, which focuses on restorative justice and rehabilitation.

Chapter 2 Section of RA 9344 read, “A child fifteen (15) years of age or under at the time of the commission of the offense shall be exempt from criminal liability.”

The other shooter in Tacloban City school is 14 years old, who was reported to have stolen the service firearm of his aunt, a police officer.

Probers are banking on the aspect that the two shooters acted with discernment, or they were fully aware of that they were going to do, as well as the consequences of their action.

Earlier, Eastern Visayas police regional chief Brig. Gen. Jason Capoy disclosed that that two were reported to have discussed juvenile justice in the course of planning the attack that started on May 1. 


Nartatez said part of the investigation is the interview with people close to the two shooters and even an examination of their social media accounts.

“It is hard to read what’s on their mind but somehow, we can deduce through the actions before and after, and actually during the incident,” said Nartatez.

“They have friends, witnesses who saw them days, or weeks before that. They talked to a lot of people and items like for example the social media account, the cellular phones can be subjected to forensic examination. That’s what we are waiting for,” he added.

Other cases

Nartatez disclosed that the police officer who owns the gun that was used by her nephew is fully aware of the consequences of her gun being used in the mass shooting.

“She is now being subjected to summary hearing proceedings and she knows the consequences. We have police operational procedures, we have policies, we have circulars, we have procedures in handling firearms especially in safekeeping,” said Nartatez.

The police officer is currently under restrictive custody.

Police are also establishing the facts on how a revolver registered to a security agency based in Cebu City ended up in the hands of the grandfather of the other shooter.

As to the parents of the gunmen, Nartatez said they will leave the aspect to the prosecutors.

“It is one of the things that will be resolved by the prosecutors. We have to understand the records of investigation had been referred already so let us allow them to decide on the matter,” said Nartatez.

Other factors

Nartatez said they are now looking into another angle of involvement of other people that prompted the two students to engage in mass shooting inside their own school, “That is the thing we are finding out.”

Capoy earlier said that the 14-year old shooter was an avid player of Gorebox, a popular online game that allegedly exposes players to the use of firearms and other deadly weapons.

The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) said it will temporarily ban the gaming application.