Students, teachers in Tacloban shooting to undergo psychosocial intervention — DSWD's Gatchalian

The students and teaches affected by the deadly school shooting in Tacloban City will undergo psychosocial intervention, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the Department of Education (DepEd) will lead the intervention and will be supported by the DSWD and the Department of Health (DOH).

“Ang nagis-spearhead into dahil nasa loob siya ng school ay sina Education Secretary Sonny Angara, sa pamumuno ng DepEd,” Gatchalian told “Unang Balita” on Friday.

(Education Secretary Sonny Angara and DepEd will lead the psychosocial intervention because it happened inside a school.)

“Nag-organize sila ng multiple sessions kasama na ang DSWD at DOH. So it’s a series…of psychosocial decompression, kasama na ang trauma management. Ang importante dito matulungan nila na ma-process ang nangyari,” he said.

(DepEd organized multiple sessions with the DSWD and the DOH. So it’s a series…of psychosocial decompression, including trauma management. What’s important is to help them process what happened.)

Gatchalian said the DSWD also partnered with the Ateneo School of Psychology to craft long-term programs for the victims.

On Monday, two minors — aged 14 and 15 — opened fire inside the San Jose National High School in Barangay San Jose, leaving three people dead and many others injured.

The Police Regional Office 8 (PRO 8) said authorities have filed a criminal complaint against the 15-year-old student involved in the deadly incident. The two child in conflict with the law (CICLs) have also been turned over to DSWD Office in Tacloban City.

Under the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006, a child 15 years of age or under at the time of the commission of the offense shall be exempt from criminal liability. However, the child shall be subject to an intervention program.

A child above 15 but below 18 years old shall also be exempt from criminal liability and subjected to an intervention program, unless he or she acted with discernment.

The law states that the child shall then be subjected to the appropriate proceedings in accordance with the act. — RSJ, GMA News