15-YEAR-OLD TACLOBAN SCHOOL SHOOTER CHARGED WITH MURDER, FRUSTRATED MURDER

THREE counts of murder and multiple counts of frustrated murder and serious physical injuries were filed against a 15-year-old student of the San Jose National High School in Tacloban City who went on a shooting spree last Monday.

Police Regional Office 8 director Brig. Gen. Jason L. Capoy said the charges were filed before the Tacloban City Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday night.

Republic Act No. 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006  exempts children age 15 and below from criminal liability while requiring intervention and rehabilitation measures.

Children above 15 but below 18 years old may still be held criminally liable if prosecutors establish that they acted with discernment.

Police said both suspects – the 15-year-old Grade 10 student identified as alias “Rod,” and 14 year-old Grade 9 student alias “Nash” – tested positive for gunpowder nitrates, a proof that they fired guns, killing three students and injuring 20 others.

A forensic examination showed that the victims were all shot with a 9mm semi-automatic pistol owned by the policewoman-aunt of “Nash.”

The two Children in Conflict with the Law (CICL) were turned over to the City Social Welfare and Development Office of Tacloban City although they remained under police security.

Probers have determined that the two suspects were the only ones involved in the shooting incident.

Police are also considering to file charges against the parents of the accused.

The policewoman aunt of “Nash” is also under investigation.

Alias “Nash” and alias “Rod” were transferred to the Bahay Pag-asa, a DSWD-run office in the city, with three policemen assigned to guard them.

An investigation showed that based on their social media exchanges, the two  CICL were found to have really plotted the killings believing they would get with it lightly as they were still minors.

Authorities are also investigating if the Tacloban school shooting is related to the 1999 school shooting in Columbine in Colorado, United States that left 13 dead.

The possibility cropped up after alias “Nash” was seen wearing a black shirt with the letters “KMFDM,” which is similar to the t-shirt worn by one of the shooters in the Columbine shooting in 1999.