THE shooting incident at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City has been established as premeditated, according to the Police Regional Office in Eastern Visayas. While one of the minor suspects claimed they and their companion only intended to frighten their schoolmates, authorities confirmed that the plan had been formed months before the actual attack.
In an interview, Police Brigadier General Jason Capoy, regional director of Eastern Visayas police, revealed that investigators determined the scheme was conceived as early as April or May. “Based on the interviews conducted by our investigators, this was really planned to be carried out as early as May 1 or April — which is why the incident is clearly premeditated,” Capoy stated. This finding was supported by the Department of Education, which also noted indications that the violence was not spontaneous but carefully arranged beforehand.
DepEd Undersecretary for Operations Dr. Malcolm Garma added that initial findings suggest bullying may have been a possible motive, though the attack itself did not appear to target specific individuals. According to Capoy, the suspects initially told authorities they only wanted to scare others. “But when the first shot was fired, it seemed the 14‑year‑old could no longer be stopped — that is what our investigation has revealed,” he explained.
The incident unfolded around 9:00 a.m. on Monday, June 22. Reports from the Tacloban City Police showed that the suspects first opened fire in the school hallway before moving into a classroom and continuing to shoot. They also chased students who tried to escape, with one witness confirming that a suspect pursued a student who attempted to flee through an opening in the perimeter wall.
Two minors — aged 14 and 15 — are now in police custody. Recovered from them were a .38‑caliber revolver and a 9mm Glock pistol, along with about 40 spent shell casings. The Glock belonged to the 14‑year‑old’s aunt, a police officer assigned to PRO‑8; the suspect reportedly took the weapon by entering his aunt’s house through a window. The revolver used by the 15‑year‑old was traced to a security agency based in Cebu. Investigators noted that only one shot came from the revolver, while the rest were fired from the Glock.
The attack left three people dead and 15 others wounded. As of the latest update, all injured students receiving treatment in hospitals are in stable condition. Authorities continue to dig deeper into the case to fully understand how the plan was executed and how the firearms fell into the hands of the suspects.
