15-year-old Tacloban shooting suspect acted with discernment

DEPARTMENT of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian said social workers have determined that the 15-year-old student implicated in the deadly shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City appeared to have acted with discernment.Speaking to reporters in Zamboanga City on Monday, June 29, 2026, Gatchalian said the assessment conducted by DSWD social workers indicated that the 15-year-old suspect understood the nature and consequences of his actions."So ibig sabihin, alam na alam niya 'yung ginagawa niya (It means he knows exactly what he's doing)," Gatchalian said.The DSWD chief said the agency would submit its findings to the court, which will ultimately determine their weight in the legal proceedings..Charges filed vs 15-year-old suspect in Tacloban school shooting.Aside from the social workers' assessment, Gatchalian said the agency was also awaiting the results of the psychological evaluations of both the 15-year-old and his 14-year-old co-suspect. He said the findings would help determine the appropriate interventions for the two minors."Makukuha ko 'yung resulta today. Doon natin maanalisa, ano ba ang nangyari? Bakit sila gumawa ng ganitong karumal-dumal na krimen? At ano ang dapat na intervention nating gawin para sa kanila?" Gatchalian said.(I'll receive the results today. From there, we can analyze what happened, why they committed such a heinous crime, and determine what interventions we should provide for them.)The June 22 shooting inside San Jose National High School left three students dead and 20 others injured, making it one of the deadliest school shooting incidents in the country in recent years.Under Republic Act 9344, or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006, children aged 15 years and below are generally exempt from criminal liability.However, the law provides an exception for children who are above 15 but below 18 years old if it can be established that they acted with discernment, meaning they understood the wrongfulness of their actions and their consequences at the time the offense was committed.When discernment is established, the child may be held criminally liable, although proceedings remain subject to the special protections and procedures provided under the juvenile justice system.Children aged 15 years and below who commit offenses are instead subjected to intervention programs and rehabilitation rather than criminal prosecution.Police investigators have identified separate sources of the firearms allegedly used in the attack.Authorities said the 14-year-old suspect used the service firearm of his aunt, an active police officer assigned to the Police Regional Office Eastern Visayas, while the pistol recovered from the 15-year-old suspect was traced to his grandfather, a former security guard.Based on the police investigation, the older suspect fired only a single round during the attack, consistent with the remaining live ammunition recovered from his firearm.The younger suspect, meanwhile, allegedly discharged at least 40 rounds and was even able to reload his weapon by changing magazines while the shooting was ongoing.Based on the exchange of messages of the minor suspects, it appears that they planned the crime for over a month.Among the possible motives being examined are reports that both suspects had experienced bullying.Authorities are likewise looking into whether the 14-year-old's reported addiction to a violent mobile game may have influenced his behavior. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)