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Advocates Philippines
PNP-Issued Gun Linked To Tacloban School Shooting
Viral Photo Online
TACLOBAN CITY — Investigators have traced one of the firearms used in the deadly shooting at San Jose National High School to a female police officer assigned to the Police Regional Office in Eastern Visayas, adding a new dimension to the probe into one of the deadliest school attacks in the country in recent years.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) said the 9mm Glock pistol used by a 14-year-old suspect had been officially issued to his aunt, a policewoman stationed under PRO-8. Authorities are now investigating how the minor was able to gain access to the service firearm.
PNP Public Information Office Acting Chief Police Colonel Allen Rae Co said the officer could face multiple administrative and criminal complaints over alleged negligence in securing her weapon. She has already been placed under police custody while the investigation is ongoing.
The second suspect, a 15-year-old student, used a .38-caliber revolver that was found to be registered to a private security agency based in Cebu City. Police are also looking into how the firearm ended up in the teenager's possession. Reports indicated that both suspects were students of the school and close friends.
Monday's shooting inside San Jose National High School left three students dead and seven others wounded. Authorities said both suspects were taken into custody shortly after the attack, with one arrested inside the campus and the other captured nearby with the help of residents.
Police recovered about 40 spent shell casings at the scene and found that the younger suspect had changed magazines during the attack, suggesting that more casualties could have occurred had responding officers not arrived quickly. According to the PNP, local police units were able to respond within minutes and prevent further bloodshed.
Investigators are also examining claims that the suspects had experienced bullying, although authorities stressed that the motive has yet to be fully established. Initial interviews pointed to a possible grudge stemming from incidents dating back to their early years in high school.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered a thorough investigation and directed authorities to strengthen security measures in schools and other public places. The Department of Education has likewise mobilized medical and psychosocial assistance for the victims, their families, and the affected school community.
School shootings remain rare in the Philippines, making the Tacloban tragedy one of the most serious incidents of campus violence in the country's history. As the investigation continues, authorities are focusing not only on the motive behind the attack but also on how two minors were able to obtain firearms and bring them inside a school.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) said the 9mm Glock pistol used by a 14-year-old suspect had been officially issued to his aunt, a policewoman stationed under PRO-8. Authorities are now investigating how the minor was able to gain access to the service firearm.
PNP Public Information Office Acting Chief Police Colonel Allen Rae Co said the officer could face multiple administrative and criminal complaints over alleged negligence in securing her weapon. She has already been placed under police custody while the investigation is ongoing.
The second suspect, a 15-year-old student, used a .38-caliber revolver that was found to be registered to a private security agency based in Cebu City. Police are also looking into how the firearm ended up in the teenager's possession. Reports indicated that both suspects were students of the school and close friends.
Monday's shooting inside San Jose National High School left three students dead and seven others wounded. Authorities said both suspects were taken into custody shortly after the attack, with one arrested inside the campus and the other captured nearby with the help of residents.
Police recovered about 40 spent shell casings at the scene and found that the younger suspect had changed magazines during the attack, suggesting that more casualties could have occurred had responding officers not arrived quickly. According to the PNP, local police units were able to respond within minutes and prevent further bloodshed.
Investigators are also examining claims that the suspects had experienced bullying, although authorities stressed that the motive has yet to be fully established. Initial interviews pointed to a possible grudge stemming from incidents dating back to their early years in high school.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered a thorough investigation and directed authorities to strengthen security measures in schools and other public places. The Department of Education has likewise mobilized medical and psychosocial assistance for the victims, their families, and the affected school community.
School shootings remain rare in the Philippines, making the Tacloban tragedy one of the most serious incidents of campus violence in the country's history. As the investigation continues, authorities are focusing not only on the motive behind the attack but also on how two minors were able to obtain firearms and bring them inside a school.
Jun 22, 2026
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