Authorities foiled what they described as a supposed copycat crime of the mass shooting in a Tacloban City high school after police tracked down a 14-year old female high school student who has been openly making threats on social media against her school in a town in Leyte.

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the academic institution being threatened is a public high school in a town located around 24 kilometers south of Tacloban City.

Based on the background check, the 14-year old girl made multiple accounts on social media where she has been making threats against her own school.

The social media accounts and posts were already deleted after police tracked her down but one of the messages retrieved was her warning that she would launch either mass stabbing or mass shooting in a public high school in her town.

The female student said students in the school should just be prepared as the attack will be carried out any time and any day.

Remulla said it was Senator Bam Aquino who informed him about the planned attack on another school in Leyte.

“I thank Sen. Bam Aquino because he was the one who called me up about this. He called up around 8 p.m. (June 24) and by 11 p.m., the local police were able to track down the child,” said Remulla.

The threat, he said, was posted on Wednesday, June 24, and was apparently done over issues with her parents.

“We are still debriefing her on what really is her intent,” said Remulla.

But Remulla said the female student involved will not be charged with anything. Rather, personnel from the Department of Social Welfare and Development just talked to her and her parents for counselling.

Based on the background investigation, the female student has no access to firearms—unlike the two shooters in Tacloban City where one of them allegedly stole the service firearm of her aunt, a policewoman, while the other one took a gun from a relative who used to work as a security guard.

The importance of 911

Remulla encouraged parents, teachers and the public to report any suspicion of planned school violence by dialing 911.

“If you overheard or got hold of any information of that kind of threat, you can call 911. If you see any post or conversation on Facebook or any social media, just call 911 and inform us,” said Remulla.

Whether it is just a prank or mere plan, what is important is that intervention measures would immediately be done to prevent any serious incidents that may happen, according to Remulla.

Juvenile justice review

Remulla said he will be asking Congress to come up with a comprehensive review of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act amid concerns about the behavior of minors.

For instance, he said police were able to find out that some drug syndicates have been using minors as couriers. The minors are being encouraged to do so over a promise that they will not be jailed because of their age.

In the case of the two shooters in Tacloban school, police said the two minors were reported to have been discussing juvenile justice before the mass shooting that left three dead and 20 injured.

“I strongly recommend to Congress that we work together to come up with a more comprehensive law on juvenile justice,” said Remulla.

“I will have to work with them. I think age is not important but cognizance and intent are the most important factors,” he added, when asked about the age of criminal liability.