Soldier who caused shooting incident has mental health problem — PMA spox

The soldier who caused the shooting incident inside the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio City has a mental health issue, the spokesperson of the military school said on Wednesday.

"With the initial probe conducted by PMA, it has been revealed that the shooting incident is an issue of mental health problem on the side of the shooter that led to this tragedy," Major Cherryl Tindog said in a statement.

The incident resulted in the death of a member of the Philippine Air Force, identified as Staff Sergeant Joefry Torqueza, while another soldier and the gunman were both injured and are being treated at the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center.

According to the police, the gunman, who is also from the Air Force, fired indiscriminately inside their barracks.

Due to the incident, the PMA vowed to attend to the mental health not only of the cadets but also every also of the military personnel in the institution.

"Our soldiers, like any other person, may have been silently struggling with such ordeal," Tindog said.

"The Academy is and will continue to be providing psycho-social intervention to identify and help its personnel who may have mental health problems, similar to what has been done for our cadets. This is the PMA's commitment to its personnel in order for them to remain psychologically fit for any mission given them," she added.

Tindog underscored that even if the incident was an isolated case, the PMA leadership would look into every single detail of it so that it will not happen again in the future.

She said the military school is also coordinating with the police for an impartial investigation and speedy resolution of the case.

Meanwhile, the PMA also expressed condolences to Torqueza's grieving family. It also vowed that all the necessary support would be extended to them. — RSJ, GMA News