DSWD: 14-year-old alleged shooter to undergo intervention program in youth facility

The 14-year-old alleged shooter in the fatal school shooting incident in Tacloban City will undergo "intense intervention", Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian said Wednesday.

Gatchalian, during the Senate hearing on the June 22 incident, clarified the minor is now detained in a youth facility, where he will undergo intervention programs including anger management and mental counseling, among others.

"Ýung 14 year old, dadaan siya sa intense intervention. Sa amin na sya. Gusto ko linawin na hindi siya sa komunidad dahil may misconcepcion na dahil walang criminal liability," Gatchalian said.

(The 14-year-old will undergo intense intervention. He's with us. We need to clarify he was not with the community because there's a misconcepcion that he has no criminal liability.)

"Naka-detain siya. He is now detained in a youth facility," he said.

(He's now detained in a youth facility.)

According to the DSWD chief, the allege shooter will remain at the detention facility "for as long as it takes for him to be rehabilitated".

"At this point, it's too early to say pero for how long as it takes," he added.

On June 22, two minors — aged 14 and 15 — opened fire inside the San Jose National High School in Barangay San Jose, leaving three people dead and 20 others wounded.

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 children 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. —RF, GMA News