TACLOBAN CITY — The legal case surrounding the deadly Tacloban school shooting has taken a new turn, with Department of Justice prosecutors ordering the filing of 10 additional murder-related charges against the 15-year-old suspect.
DOJ Undersecretary Ian Norman Dato said Thursday, September 3, that prosecutors found the teenager acted with discernment and allegedly acted in conspiracy with the other minor involved in the June 22 shooting at San Jose National High School.
The new charges consist of four counts of frustrated murder and six counts of attempted murder, which prosecutors will bring before the Regional Trial Court in Tacloban City.
Three students were killed
The June 22 shooting left three students dead and about 20 others injured, according to reports from authorities and multiple news organizations. The two suspects were Grade 9 students, aged 15 and 14 at the time of the incident.
The 15-year-old is already facing cases filed by the Police Regional Office 8 in June, including three counts of murder, three counts of frustrated murder and multiple counts of physical injury. The latest DOJ action adds another 10 charges to the legal proceedings.
Why does the 15-year-old face criminal charges?
The key issue is discernment.
Under the Philippines’ Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act, children who are over 15 but below 18 may be exempt from criminal liability unless they acted with discernment. DOJ prosecutors determined that the 15-year-old allegedly understood the nature and consequences of his actions.
Dato said prosecutors reviewed the documentary evidence and psychological reports before reaching their determination.
The 14-year-old suspect, meanwhile, is considered exempt from criminal liability under the juvenile justice system and is undergoing intervention through the appropriate social welfare mechanisms. Both minors remain under government custody at a youth rehabilitation facility.
Bail recommended for the new charges
For the newly recommended charges, prosecutors set bail at ₱72,000 for each count of frustrated murder and ₱36,000 for each count of attempted murder, according to Philstar and the Philippine Daily Inquirer. That would bring the recommended bail for the 10 new charges to ₱504,000.
The exact handling of the cases will still follow the special procedures applicable to children in conflict with the law.
The case goes beyond the two minors
Authorities have also been investigating how the firearms reached the students.
Prosecutors previously recommended charges of reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide and physical injuries against the policewoman aunt of the 14-year-old suspect. She was reportedly the owner of the government-issued 9mm Glock 17 allegedly used during the shooting.
The other firearm allegedly used by the 15-year-old was a .38-caliber revolver reportedly registered to a security agency in Cebu, according to Philstar.
Authorities have also examined possible online influences and alleged grooming networks. Justice officials and the National Bureau of Investigation have previously discussed investigations into online groups allegedly encouraging minors toward violent acts.
What happens next?
The latest DOJ directive does not mean the 15-year-old has been convicted.
The charges must still go through the courts, where the prosecution will have to establish the allegations and the accused will retain the rights guaranteed under Philippine law.
The development nevertheless marks a significant escalation in the case: a teenager already facing multiple criminal complaints is now set to confront 10 additional murder-related charges, after prosecutors concluded that he allegedly acted with discernment.
The Tacloban shooting has also reignited a national discussion about juvenile justice, school security, firearm access, bullying, online influence and the government’s responsibility to protect students.
WWC ONE MEDIA J.M.D
Leave a Reply