Geline Salac

Tacloban school shooting 'planned', shooter got gun from policewoman-aunt: PNP

Article (news)

taclobanshooter

taclobanshooting

David Dizon

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oqhXk4aVyG0?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>Two minors aged 14 and 15 involved in a <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/6/22/alleged-school-shooting-reported-in-tacloban-1034">school shooting in Tacloban City</a> planned the murders, the Philippine National Police said Tuesday, with 3 dead and number of wounded rising to 20.</p><p>PCol. Allen Rae Co, PNP public information office OIC, said one of the shooters had 2 magazines of ammo for his 9mm pistol after he was caught by residents while his companion was only able to fire a single shot from his 38-caliber revolver, with five live ammo still in the firearm.</p><p>“Definitely nag reload pa siya, nag change magazine (He definitely reloaded, changed magazines).”</p><p>“Ito po ay planado. Pagpasok pa lang nila, hindi pa sila pumasok sa school proper sa buildings, sa bintana nagpapaputok na sila…Murder na po ito,” he said in a DZMM interview.</p><p>(This was planned. When they entered the school, they were already shooting from the windows even before entering the buildings. This is murder.)</p><p>Co said one of the shooters posted violent videos of killings in his social media account and used the firearm of his aunt, a policewoman in Eastern Visayas, for the shooting.</p><p>It was the policewoman who taught him how to shoot the firearm, based on videos posted on his social media account.</p><p>“Kasama niya ‘yung auntie niya, na tinuturuan siyang pumutok (His aunt taught him how to use a gun),” he said.</p><p>Co said the policewoman has now been relieved of her duties pending an investigation on how her nephew was able to secure her firearm. </p><p>&quot;You can’t let other people use your firearm. It’s personal property, the gun is like your spouse. It is not right that other people have access to it,” the PNP spokesman said in Tagalog.</p><p>Monday’s school shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City saw 3 people killed while the number of wounded has risen to 20. Co said of the 20 wounded, 15 are firearms-related including one student who was grazed by a bullet to the head.</p><p>Videos obtained by ABS-CBN showed panicked children screaming and crying while hiding inside a classroom amid the sound of gunfire.</p><p>In another video, students and teachers rushed out of the school, some of them weeping. A female student who appeared to be wounded was carried outside by her peers.</p><p>The fatalities were confirmed to be students.</p><p>PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. has ordered an all-out investigation into the killing and has ordered a comprehensive review of security protocols including access control and entry procedures.  Co said this means a possible limit to the number of ingresses and egresses in a school.</p><p>The PNP PIO chief said that due to the severity of the crime, the shooter may be considered a “neglected child” and will be placed in a juvenile facility administered by the Department of Social Welfare and Development.</p><p>He also clarified earlier reports that the shooters were victims of bullying.</p><p>“Sa bullying angle, ‘yun po ang sinasabi nila. Hindi namin kino-confirm or dine-deny or in-a-affirm ang anggulo na ‘yun, that they are victims of bullying,” he said.</p><p>While school shootings are a rarity in the Philippines, targeted gun violence is a fixture of provincial politics.</p><p>In 2022, three people, including a former city mayor, were killed in a shooting incident before a graduation ceremony at Ateneo de Manila University. It was later determined to have been an assassination driven by &quot;personal motives&quot;.</p><p>Legal gun ownership is tightly regulated in the country, but a large black market exists for firearms. --<strong> with a report from AFP and Adrian Ayalin, ABS-CBN News</strong></p><div><br/></div><div><strong>This is a developing story. Please refresh for updates.</strong></div><div><strong>If you know someone battling with depression or suicidal thoughts, contact the NCMH Crisis Hotline on landline (1553), or through mobile numbers 0917-899-8727 and 0919-057-1553.</strong><strong></strong></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nZdKwYPhREE?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vTNGCLil2Ic?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Two minors aged 14 and 15 involved in a <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/6/22/alleged-school-shooting-reported-in-tacloban-1034">school shooting in Tacloban City</a> planned the murders, the Philippine National Police said Tuesday, with 3 dead and number of wounded rising to 20.</p>

Two minors aged 14 and 15 involved in a school shooting in Tacloban City planned the murders, the Philippine National Police said Tuesday, with 3 dead and number of wounded rising to 20.