THE police officer whose firearm was allegedly used in the fatal school shooting in Tacloban City has stated that one of the suspects broke into her residence to take the weapon.
Police Staff Sergeant Arla Ray Paciencia, who is the aunt of one of the minor perpetrators, told the Senate hearing that her nephew, known only by the alias “Nash,” gained entry through a window and forced open storage to get her 9mm Glock pistol.
According to Paciencia, both her house and the plastic locker holding the gun were locked at the time. “Nash unlawfully entered my own house. It’s not a room… He forcibly damaged my locker; it was locked, and my house was locked as well,” she testified. She acknowledged that standard police regulations require service firearms to be secured inside safety vaults, but explained she kept it in good faith, believing it was safe since she lived alone.
The incident took place on June 22 at San Jose National High School, where two minors aged 14 and 15 opened fire, resulting in three deaths and several injuries. Authorities from Police Regional Office 8 have filed a criminal complaint against the 15‑year‑old suspect, while both children, classified as Children in Conflict with the Law, have been turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Tacloban.
During the hearing, Paciencia also admitted taking Nash to a firing range despite his age, but clarified that she was not his legal guardian. “I am not his guardian. I am his aunt but he’s still with his parents. My supervision is more on support and financial support,” she said, emphasizing that her role was limited to helping the family rather than overseeing the child’s daily activities.
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