Tacloban school shooting: Parents, teachers deal with trauma of losing children

The first recorded mass school shooting in the Philippines happened at the San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, Leyte on June 22. Twenty were injured while three students died.

According to witnesses, those who fired the shots were two minor students of the school, who were 14 and 15 years old.

On "Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho," Jessica Soho personally interviewed the parents of the students who died, as well as their teachers who are dealing with the tragic loss.

Evita, a TLE or Technology and Livelihood Education teacher, said she still cannot go back to her classroom. She also taught two of the three students who died, Chris Lorenz Fabian and Joyancee Separa.

"It's hard to say [that I am] OK. Knowing that may mga bata akong namatay," Evita said.

["It's hard to say I'm OK, knowing that some of my students died."]

The 14-year-old gunman was also one of her students. According to Evita, he only went to school for four days and she observed he was a loner.

"Nu'ng first period, 'yung advisory class ko, doon ako nag-class, eh. I checked the attendance. Doon ko nga nalaman na isa lang ang absent ko," she said.

["During the first period, I held my class with my advisory class. I checked the attendance, and that was when I found out that only one of my students was absent," she said.]

"Sabi ko, 'Bakit? Nasaan siya?' Sabi nila, nandito raw po. Nag-attend daw ng flag ceremony. Pero hindi naman siya pumasok."

["I asked, 'Why? Where is he?' They said he was here. They mentioned he attended the flag ceremony, but he didn't actually show up for class."]

The shootings happened during the second class period. The students and teachers ran. Fabian tried to hold the door closed for the shooters to not go in.

"'Yun po ang mahirap na part kasi nasa akin 'yung may mga casualties," Evita said.

["That is the hardest part because the casualties were from my class."]

Meanwhile, the parents of the students who were killed continue to mourn their loss.

Fabian, a Boy Scout, is deemed a hero for trying to shield his classmates from the shooting.

"Hero nga po siya Ma'am Jess pero wala na siya. Masakit po," Fabian's mother said.

["He may be a hero, Ma'am Jess, but he is gone. It hurts."]

"Mapagbigay po 'yan, Ma'am. Kahit po 'yung baon niya Ma'am, sine-share niya po. Kahit uuwi na lang po siyang maglalakad, hindi po siya nagdadamot sa mga kaibigan at classmate niya po," she added.

["He was very generous, Ma'am. He would even share his school allowance. Even if it meant he had to walk all the way home, he never held back from helping his friends and classmates."]

Fabian's mother still hopes that justice will be served.

"Kasi hindi pa po siya dapat ganyan kung hindi po ginawa ng mga batang iyon itong krimen na nagawa po nila," she said.

["Because he shouldn't be like that if those children hadn't committed this crime."]

"Kung sakali po, kasi hindi po nasampahan ng kaso, kailangan pong managot ng guardian niya, 'yung tita niya, 'yung may-ari po ng baril," she added.

["If that's the case, since no charges were filed against him, his guardian—his aunt, who owns the gun— needs to be held accountable."]

Separa's mother said she is not doing well.

"Hindi ako magiging OK pero pipilitin kong maging OK dahil mayroon pa akong anak na kailangan ko pang alagaan," she said.

["I will never be OK, but I will force myself to be OK because I still have another child to take care of."]

The mother described her late daughter as kind and helpful.

"Hindi ko ma-explain 'yung nararamdaman ko. Wala. Iyak lang ako nang iyak."

["I can't explain what I'm feeling. It's nothing. I just keep crying and crying."]

Separa was also working hard to be an honor student this year. Her mother could not help but question why this happened to her.

"Tinatanong ko rin. I blame also God. 'Bakit hindi mo pinadalhan ng maraming angel 'yung anak ko para maprotektahan?'" Separa's mother said.

["I question it, too. I also blame God. 'Why didn't You send many angels to protect my child?'"]

"That moment nga na nalaman ko na patay na 'yung anak ko, 'Lord, why? I pray always.' Every day, I pray na ligtas 'yung mga anak ko kahit sinasakyan nila. Ligtas papuntang paaralan at ligtas din pauwi," she added.

["The very moment I found out my child was dead, I asked, 'Lord, why? I always pray.' Every day, I pray for my children's safety, no matter what vehicle they ride. I pray that they are safe on their way to school and safe on their way back home."]

She also hopes that the shooters will be punished for what they did.

"Kahit bata pa, puwede na 'yun. Kahit bata pa siya, sanay naman siyang mamaril, so dapat, karapat-dapat na siyang parusahan," she said.

["Even though they are still a child, that shouldn't matter. Even if they're young, they are used to shooting guns, so they deserve to be punished."]

The youngest student who was shot and died was Ayessa Nicole Dazo, a 14-year-old Grade 9 student. She was declared dead on arrival at the hospital after the bullet pierced through her chest.

The father said he learned about his daughter's passing at work, while the mother was asked to go to school but she didn't make it.

"Sa hospital daw. Pero pagtanong namin po doon sa mga teacher, hindi pa alam kung saan ang hospital. Hinanap pa namin, Ma'am. Tatlong hospital bago pang-apat na 'yung pinagdalhan sa kanya," she said.

["They said he was at a hospital. But when we asked the teachers, they didn't know which hospital it was yet. We had to look for him, Ma'am. We went to three different hospitals before finding the fourth one where he had been taken."]

It was there when the mother found her lifeless daughter.

"Sila naman, nasa loob, kasi simula sa unang room sa katabi sa kanila. Tapos doon sa kanila, doon nagtambay na ['yung gunman] kasi bukas 'yung pintuan. Nagtakbuhan sila sa gilid kung may pintuan ba sa kabila. 'Yung anak ko, parang siya yata ang nahuli," the father said.

["As for them, they were inside, because it started from the first room next to theirs. Then the gunman hung around their room because the door was open. They ran to the side to see if there was another door. My child—it seems like she was the one left behind."]

When a classmate looked back, Dazo was already shot.

The mother recalled the last time she talked to her daughter.

"Nilinisan ko siya tapos pakain. Tapos nagdamit. Sapatos, nilinisan ko pa 'yun. Tapos mauuwi sa kabaong," the mother said.

["I cleaned her up and fed her. Then I dressed her. I even cleaned her shoes. Only for her to end up in a coffin."]

The parents described their late daughter as "malambing" and had a lot of friends. She also wanted to be a police officer.

In a message to the parents and guardian of the shooters, her father said, "'Yung auntie. Kasi bakit nakuha 'yung baril? Hindi niya tinago nang maayos."

["The aunt is to blame. Because why was he able to get the gun? She didn't hide it properly."]

The mother hopes that they will be behind bars.

On Sunday, an official of the Department of Education said only one victim of the deadly shooting remains in the intensive care unit (ICU) while the rest of the injured are now stable.

Following the shooting, Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson on Wednesday called for a review of Republic Act 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act. He said the recent event involving minors have raised questions anew questions about criminal accountability and age-based exemptions. —Nika Roque/MGP, GMA News