Statement of Senator Loren Legarda on the Tacloban City School Shooting

I am deeply saddened by the tragic shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, where three young lives were lost and seven others were injured. This tragedy comes at a deeply alarming time, following recent incidents of violence involving students in other schools.

I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and offer my prayers for the swift recovery of those who were wounded. Ipinagkakatiwala ng bawat magulang ang kaligtasan ng kanilang mga anak sa paaralan, ang itinuturing nating pangalawang tahanan. Ngunit ngayong araw sa Tacloban, may mga magulang na hindi na muling makakapiling ang kanilang mga anak. Paano pa magkakaroon ng kapanatagan ang bawat magulang sa ganitong kalagayan? No child should ever fear for their safety within the walls of a school, a place meant to nurture learning, growth, and hope.

As authorities continue to determine the circumstances surrounding this incident, it is clear that we must intensify efforts to address the challenges faced by our youth, including violence, mental health concerns, and access to firearms.

This attack demands that we face a hard and disturbing reality. The suspects are themselves minors. By the time a child has a gun in their hands and carries it into a classroom, the people and systems meant to protect them have already failed. That does not diminish their accountability for their actions and to the families of the victims who appeal for justice. But it should make us confront the warning signs we miss, the help that reaches our young people too late, and the ease with which a minor can get hold of a gun.

Hindi na dapat maulit ang ganitong karahasan. Tungkulin nating tiyakin na sila’y ligtas sa bawat silid-aralan.