Tacloban school shooting: Friend of suspect also injured, reignites debate on lowering criminal liability age

MANILA, Philippines – Two minors opened fire in a school in Tacloban City on June 22, resulting in three students killed and 20 others injured. Among those wounded was Gerric Bituin, a close friend of one of the 14-year-old suspects, identified by the alias “Nash.” Janica, Gerric’s older sister, recounted the incident at a Senate committee hearing on Wednesday, July 1. She stated that Gerric and “Nash,” along with another 15-year-old minor (alias “Rod”), were classmates and friends since Grade 8. "Gerric told me that Nash was a cheerful person who cracks jokes. They were part of a circle of friends," Janica said. Prior to the shooting, Gerric noticed a change in Nash’s mood. Police investigations indicate that “Nash” arrived at the school around 7:30 AM, entered a restroom after the flag ceremony, and was joined by the 15-year-old around 8 AM. They left the restroom about an hour later, and gunfire erupted around 9:20 AM. Gerric and his classmates initially mistook the sounds for distant explosions, but the gunfire drew closer. Their teacher instructed them to hide. As Gerric moved to a different position, he was shot in the back. The bullet passed through his neck and hit his chin, causing a fracture that required surgery. He remains under medical observation. Janica also shared that Gerric’s friends carried him out of the school. At a nearby water station, senior high school students attempted to cover his wounds before a motorcyclist transported him to a hospital. "I asked Gerric if no one helped him, he said the people were just taking videos," Janica reported, highlighting a lack of immediate assistance and the disturbing presence of people filming the aftermath. Gerric also fell victim to misinformation, with social media content creators falsely reporting his death and using AI-generated images of him with the fatalities. Another student, Kaye Lapidario, was shot while closing their classroom door to prevent the minors from entering. Her father, Rolando, described his daughter as kind and cheerful, noting she was laughing even with her bleeding wounds when he visited her in the hospital. Kaye was shot in the right hip, with the bullet traversing her left thigh and affecting her private parts. Calls for lowering the age of criminal liability intensified during the hearing. Rolando urged for the age to be lowered from 15 to 12, warning that otherwise, minors would become desensitized to crime. Gerric’s sister echoed the sentiment, demanding justice for victims and emphasizing that age should not be an obstacle to accountability. The 15-year-old minor is facing murder complaints, while the 14-year-old, though exempt from criminal liability, will undergo an intervention program. Both minors are in the custody of the Regional Rehabilitation Center for the Youth in Tanauan, Leyte. – Rappler.com