(Manila, 24th) Philippine Interior and Local Government Secretary Remulla stated that the recent school shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, which resulted in the deaths of three students, was initially found to be possibly linked to prolonged campus bullying, describing the incident as a 'runaway bullying tragedy.'
In an interview on Wednesday, Remulla pointed out that, according to preliminary feedback, the two students involved in the case were suspected of being long-term victims of bullying, and influence from violent video game content ultimately led to the tragedy.
He said this case once again highlights the importance of enhancing student protection, improving school safety measures, and fostering responsible citizenship both online and offline.
He stated that the Philippine police have currently assigned officers to guard schools across the country, but by law, they are not authorized to conduct body searches on every student.
'The police's law enforcement authority mainly covers areas outside of the campus, while school principals are responsible for internal management. However, we see the need to review existing policies,' he said.
At the same time, Remulla also voiced support for proposals to lower the age of criminal responsibility. He pointed out that, in the past, criminals had exploited minors to transport drugs because those involved were difficult to hold criminally accountable.
According to the Philippine 'Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act,' children aged 15 years and below do not bear criminal responsibility, but instead undergo counseling and intervention programs; for youth over 15 but under 18, whether they are criminally responsible depends on their discernment ability.
It is understood that the two suspects involved in this campus shooting are 14 and 15 years old, and are currently under the supervision of police and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Philippine National Police Chief Nartatez stated that police have filed criminal charges with the local prosecutor against the 15-year-old suspect, including three counts of murder, attempted murder, and several counts of serious physical injury.
On another note, Nartatez called on the public to stop spreading videos and photos related to campus violence to prevent secondary harm to victims, their families, and school staff and students.
He said that the widespread circulation of graphic scenes online not only causes psychological trauma, but also forces the families of the deceased to relive their most painful moments.
He emphasized that, besides refraining from disseminating violent videos, the public should also avoid posting photos and details that could identify the minors involved, to protect children's rights and the integrity of the investigation.
'Spreading such content for online traffic should not come at the expense of others' dignity or impede police investigations,' he said.
He has instructed the police Anti-Cybercrime Group to strengthen the monitoring of related content on online platforms and to collaborate with social media platforms to study the possibility of removing or restricting such content.
In addition, local police districts have also been instructed to conduct outreach activities with schools, parents, and student leaders to jointly discuss topics of school safety and responsible use of social media.
He said this case once again highlights the importance of enhancing student protection, improving school safety measures, and fostering responsible citizenship both online and offline.
He stated that the Philippine police have currently assigned officers to guard schools across the country, but by law, they are not authorized to conduct body searches on every student.
'The police's law enforcement authority mainly covers areas outside of the campus, while school principals are responsible for internal management. However, we see the need to review existing policies,' he said.
At the same time, Remulla also voiced support for proposals to lower the age of criminal responsibility. He pointed out that, in the past, criminals had exploited minors to transport drugs because those involved were difficult to hold criminally accountable.
According to the Philippine 'Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act,' children aged 15 years and below do not bear criminal responsibility, but instead undergo counseling and intervention programs; for youth over 15 but under 18, whether they are criminally responsible depends on their discernment ability.
It is understood that the two suspects involved in this campus shooting are 14 and 15 years old, and are currently under the supervision of police and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Philippine National Police Chief Nartatez stated that police have filed criminal charges with the local prosecutor against the 15-year-old suspect, including three counts of murder, attempted murder, and several counts of serious physical injury.
On another note, Nartatez called on the public to stop spreading videos and photos related to campus violence to prevent secondary harm to victims, their families, and school staff and students.
He said that the widespread circulation of graphic scenes online not only causes psychological trauma, but also forces the families of the deceased to relive their most painful moments.
He emphasized that, besides refraining from disseminating violent videos, the public should also avoid posting photos and details that could identify the minors involved, to protect children's rights and the integrity of the investigation.
'Spreading such content for online traffic should not come at the expense of others' dignity or impede police investigations,' he said.
He has instructed the police Anti-Cybercrime Group to strengthen the monitoring of related content on online platforms and to collaborate with social media platforms to study the possibility of removing or restricting such content.
In addition, local police districts have also been instructed to conduct outreach activities with schools, parents, and student leaders to jointly discuss topics of school safety and responsible use of social media.