Murder charges filed against 15-year-old Tacloban school shooting suspect; lawmaker opposes lowering criminal liability age

Authorities have filed murder and other criminal complaints against a 15-year-old suspect in the deadly shooting at a Tacloban City high school, as debate intensifies over proposals to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility following the tragedy.

Philippine National Police (PNP) public information chief Col. Allen Rae Co confirmed on Wednesday that a complaint for three counts of murder has been filed against the 15-year-old suspect, identified by police as alias Rod.

The teenager also faces multiple counts of frustrated murder and serious physical injuries in connection with the shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City.

The suspect and a 14-year-old companion, identified as alias Nash, allegedly opened fire inside the school on Monday, resulting in the deaths of three students and injuries to at least 20 others.

Both minors remain under the custody of authorities, including the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), while investigations and legal proceedings continue.

The filing of charges has renewed public discussion about Republic Act No. 9344, or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act, particularly provisions governing criminal liability for minors.

Under the law, children aged 15 and below are exempt from criminal liability and are instead subjected to intervention programs.

Minors older than 15 but below 18 years old may be held criminally liable if it is established that they acted with discernment, or with the capacity to understand the consequences of their actions and distinguish right from wrong.

In the wake of the Tacloban school shooting, some government officials have expressed openness to revisiting the law.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro earlier said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is open to lowering the age of criminal liability, while the PNP has proposed reducing it to 12 years old.

However, Manila Representative Joel Chua cautioned against making legislative changes in response to a single incident, arguing that lowering the age threshold would not address the root causes of youth violence.

“Lowering the minimum age of criminal responsibility is not the solution,” he said in Filipino.

“The real answer lies in restoring proper values, the loving guidance of parents and teachers, affordable access to mental health professionals, and leaders and elders who can serve as good role models for the youth,” he added.

Chua maintained that the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act already contains mechanisms to hold young offenders accountable when warranted and said attention should instead be focused on improving implementation and intervention programs.

He stressed that the law “is not powerless,” while acknowledging that there may be gaps in enforcement and in ensuring that responsible individuals are held accountable.

The lawmaker also questioned the logic of repeatedly lowering the age of criminal responsibility whenever a serious crime involves a minor.

“Whenever a crime involves minors, there are immediate calls to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility,” said Chua. “But where does this end?”

“If a 10-year-old is implicated tomorrow, do we lower it to 9? If it’s an 8-year-old, do we make it 7? If it’s a 5-year-old, do we make it 4?”

“We cannot change the age with every tragedy. What must be addressed are the reasons some children go astray and are drawn to violence,” he said.

As part of broader efforts to curb youth violence, Chua suggested exploring stricter regulations on minors’ access to online games and social media platforms, comparing such measures to existing restrictions on smoking among children.

The proposal comes as authorities continue investigating factors that may have contributed to the Tacloban shooting, one of the deadliest school-related attacks in recent years.

The incident has sparked national discussions on juvenile justice, school safety, mental health, parental supervision and the influence of digital platforms on young people.

While legal proceedings against the 15-year-old suspect move forward, policymakers remain divided on whether stricter criminal penalties for minors would help prevent similar tragedies in the future.

For now, the focus remains on determining accountability for those involved in the attack and identifying measures that could reduce the risk of youth violence and improve protection for students in schools across the country.