Tacloban Shooter’s Policewoman-Aunt Faces Raps

The Tacloban city prosecutor has recommended the indictment of a policewoman for multiple homicide through reckless imprudence over the June 22 school shooting incident in the city

Police Staff Sergeant Arla Ray Paciencia is the aunt of one of the two gunmen, both of whom are minors. Her nephew, 14, used her 9mm service firearm in the shooting.

Department of Justice spokesman Polo Martinez said the charges recommended against Paciencia are bailable.

“The Office of the City Prosecutor of Tacloban resolved to recommend the filing of charges for reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide and physical injuries against Paciencia,” Martinez said on Tuesday, Aug. 25.

Paciencia has been relieved from her post at the Eastern Visayas police office.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) welcomed the development, saying “it should remind registered gun owners, especially police officers and other law enforcement personnel, to properly secure their firearms.”

Three students died and 20 others were wounded when the two gunmen aged 15 and 14 opened fire at the San Jose National High School.

In Zamboanga, a student was shot dead by a 14-year-old schoolmate who then killed himself at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University. The boy used two guns left by his father, Lt. Lars Jalani, in their car.

Jalani has been relieved as regional enforcement and security chief of the Bureau of Customs in Zamboanga.

School security

A security framework linking public schools with village watchmen, police and surveillance infrastructure has been unveiled by the Department of Education.

DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara said the hybrid campus security model addresses security personnel shortages through a localized allocation strategy based on enrollment size and campus needs.

Security guards will be assigned to high-density campuses while leveraging community support for smaller schools.

Small and medium campuses with up to 1,000 learners will be assigned one security guard, supported by barangay tanods during peak arrival and dismissal hours alongside Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) volunteers for gate duty support.

Large campuses with up to 3,300 learners will have two security guards and village watchmen for perimeter control, while PTA assistance teams will aid in crowd and traffic control.

Very large and extremely large campuses with over 8,501 learners will have four security guards reinforced by PNP mobile patrols and local security officers.

The DepEd is prioritizing investments in surveillance infrastructure, including closed-circuit television cameras, upgraded area lighting, access control systems and scanners.

Angara said the scheme will be rolled out in two phases, starting with large schools before covering small and medium schools.

Sen. Bam Aquino is rallying support for the immediate passage of the Comprehensive School Safety Act to tighten security protocols and establish multi-sectoral safety safeguards.

Meanwhile, the PNP has committed to refining campus emergency drills following the postponement of nationwide school safety drills.

Advocacy and medical groups have urged authorities to align active shooter and safety drills with child support protocols to avoid causing anxiety among learners.

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano has called for nationwide town hall dialogues instead of a live shooter drill.

Probing groomers

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is profiling people behind online accounts linked to recent school violence incidents.

Probers are studying the possible grooming of students to carry out violent acts, NBI Director Melvin Matibag said on Tuesday. People who shared or live-streamed videos related to the incidents are covered by the probe.

Authorities are determining whether they were merely participants or part of a wider network influencing minors.

The NBI is examining whether the Zamboanga and Tacloban incidents are connected and whether the people allegedly grooming minors belong to the same group.

Matibag said probers had gained access to an international group chat with thousands of members, most of them Filipinos, where violent and other illegal activities were allegedly discussed.

The NBI will discuss the issue tomorrow with Meta, including how online platforms can screen or restrict content that could be harmful to children.

Social media ban

Malacañang is open to banning social media platforms, including Facebook and gaming apps, in the country amid concerns over misinformation and public safety.

“If social media platforms disregard our requests to protect citizens from violence and fake news, or if their response is slow, then it is worth considering and examining whether they should remain part of our system,” Palace press officer Claire Castro said on Tuesday.

Sen. Erwin Tulfo slammed tech giants for failing to curb the spread of disturbing content. He called for heavy fines on platforms hosting violent materials.

Transparent school bags

The PTA Philippines wants students to use transparent school bags where dangerous weapons can be seen.

If transparent bags become mandatory, expenses should be shouldered by the DepEd and local government units, PTA Philippines national president Willie Rodriguez told radio dzBB.

Aside from Valenzuela schools, St. John Paul II College of Davao and Holy Child Central Colleges Inc. in Surallah, South Cotabato have required students to use clear bags. – With Bella Cariaso, Rainier Allan Ronda, Mark Ernest Villeza, Neil Jayson Servallos, Helen Flores, Marc Jayson Cayabyab