The two children in conflict with the law (CICL) involved in last week’s deadly school shooting in Tacloban City are being kept separate from each other, and from other residents of the government rehabilitation facility where they are currently housed, a Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) official said Sunday.
DSWD Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said the two teenagers are staying in separate rooms at a Regional Rehabilitation Center for Youth (RRCY) while social workers continue their assessment and rehabilitation process.
Dumlao said the minors are not yet allowed to receive visitors, including their parents or guardians, due to restrictions in place for their case.
“Hindi pa muna sila pwedeng kausapin. Hindi pa pwedeng bisitahin. May mga restrictions dito sa mga CICL,” Dumlao said in a radio interview.
She said the two minors are being closely monitored by social workers, house parents, a nurse, and police personnel.
According to Dumlao, the teenagers are also following a set schedule while under custody, including separate food delivery arrangements because they are not yet allowed to join activities with other residents of the facility.
“Sa umaga, may oras ng pagdala ng pagkain para sa kanila kasi hindi pa sila pwedeng ihalo sa ibang CICLs kaya hindi pa sila pwedeng magkaroon ng mga activities with them. Kaya ang house parents natin nakatutok,” she said.
Dumlao said social workers are working to establish rapport with the two minors as part of the assessment process. The goal, she said, is to determine the appropriate interventions and the proper handling of their cases.
“Sila ay binabantayan ng ating mga social worker. Merong mga house parents na assigned para sa kanilang dalawa,” she said.
She added that police personnel are stationed outside their rooms to ensure security.
“Hindi sila nagkikita. Separate rooms sila. ’Yung rooms nila, may sariling ceiling fan ’yan, may sariling banyo, so hindi sila nakakahalubilo sa iba pang residents natin sa RRCY,” Dumlao said.
The two minors were turned over by their parents and guardians to authorities after they were identified and arrested in connection with the shooting at San Jose National High School, where three students were killed and 20 others were injured.
Dumlao said the DSWD is also continuing to provide psychosocial support to the victims, survivors, and families affected by the incident.
She said debriefing and trauma counseling remain important, especially for families who lost children and for those still recovering from injuries.
“Hindi talaga madali ’yung pinagdaanan nila, ’yung na-witness nila, lalong-lalo na sa mga pamilya na namatay ’yung kanilang mga anak. At ’yung iba nga ay nasa ospital pa,” Dumlao said.
“Napakahalaga nito, ’yung pagsuporta natin sa kanilang mental well-being at ’yung pag-assure na nandun tayo hanggang sa tuluyan nilang paghilom mula sa insidenteng ito,” she added.